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The June episode of the podcast features Anne Michelle Carpenter of St. Mary’s College of California! She spoke with Stephen Okey about how reading Patristic theology led her to study Hans Urs von Balthasar, the challenge and promise of teaching metaphysics to undergraduates, and the way she engages poetry in her work. They also talk a lot about Star Wars, including Prof. Carpenter’s January term course on Star Wars and Religion! Dr. Anne Michelle Carpenter is an Assistant Professor of Theology at St. Mary’s College of California in Moraga, CA. She earned her BA in History and Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville, and then earned an MA and a PhD in Systematic Theology from Marquette University. Her research interests focus on the interrelations between aesthetics and metaphysics, with particular interest in the work of Hans Urs von Balthasar. She is the author of Theo-Poetics: Hans Urs von Balthasar and the Risk of Art and Being (University of Notre Dame Press, 2015).

Closing out March, this episode of the podcast features Megan McCabe! She spoke with Stephen Okey about her path to studying theology, the idea of “cultures of sin” and how it relates to social sin and structures of sin, and the centrality of tradition in Catholic theology. Dr. Megan McCabe is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA. She earned her BA in Theology from Fordham University, her MTS in Moral Theology from University of Notre Dame, and her PhD in Theological Ethics from Boston College. Her current research focuses on the idea of “cultures of sin,” drawing on Fr. Bryan Massingale’s work on racism to talk about sexual violence. She has been published in Sojourners, America Magazine, and Daily Theology. For the America pieces we discuss in this episode, see: “Why Catholic moral theology is a sign of hope in today’s church” (interview with Bill McCormick, SJ, 2019) “Create in Me A Just Heart: Treating pornography as a structure of sin” (2016)

This episode of the Daily Theology podcast features Prof. Katie Grimes of Villanova University! She talks with Stephen Okey about how her two years of volunteering with Amate House in Chicago led her to change career plans from law school to theology, her work on race and white supremacy, and how she understands popular culture as a locus for theology. She also talks about theological blogging and the gifts she’s received from writing for Women in Theology. Dr. Katie Grimes is an Assistant Professor of Theological Ethics at Villanova University. She earned her BA in philosophy and her MTS from the University of Notre Dame, and her PhD in Theological Ethics from Boston College. She is the author of two books: Fugitive Saints: Catholicism and the Politics of Slavery (Fortress, 2017) and Christ Divided: Antiblackness as Corporate Vice (Fortress, 2017). She has also written for Political Theology and Journal of Religious Ethics among others.

Happy New Year from the Daily Theology Podcast! We come back with a new episode featuring Stephen Okey’s conversation with Holly Taylor Coolman. They talk about how the evangelical subculture she grew up in provided the grounding for her interest in theology and how studying scripture drew her into questions about Jewish-Catholic dialogue. They also talk about the campaign she ran for a seat in the Rhode Island statehouse, how Thomas Aquinas shaped her motivation to do so, and her reflections on being a Catholic in politics. Dr. Holly Taylor Coolman is an Assistant Professor of Theology at Providence College in Providence, RI. She did her undergraduate studies at Wheaton College, her masters at Princeton Theological Seminary, and her doctoral work at Duke University. Her research interests are in Christianity and Judaism, ecclesiology, and the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas. Her work has been published in Journal of Moral Theology, Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations, and America Magazine among others.

The podcast closes out 2018 with Steve Okey’s conversation with Micah Kiel. In this episode, they talk about how Micah’s experience of studying abroad prompted his interest in theology, his time volunteering in Belize, and his thoughts on technology in the classroom. They also discuss his new book, Apocalyptic Ecology, and how it relates to contemporary discussions of climate change.  Micah Kiel is Professor of Theology at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, IA. He earned his BA in Music Performance at St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN, and he then went on to earn his MDiv and his PhD in Biblical Studies from Princeton Theological Seminary. He is the author of The “Whole Truth”: Rethinking Retribution in the Book of Tobit (T&T Clark, 2014) and Apocalyptic Ecology: The Book of Revelation, the Earth, and the Future (Michael Glazier, 2017). His research focuses on Biblical studies and apocalyptic texts.

Episode 40 of the podcast comes to you with Steve Okey’s conversation with Philip Cunningham of Saint Joseph’s University. Prof. Cunningham was visiting Saint Leo to give a presentation on “Moving Toward Mutuality? Challenges in Catholic-Jewish Relations.” He was also named the 14th recipient of the Saint Leo Center for Catholic Jewish Studies’ Eternal Light Award, in recognition of his significant contributions to Catholic-Jewish relations. In this episode, Prof. Cunningham speaks about his early research into how Christian religious education material represented and misrepresented Judaism, on rethinking the Good Friday liturgy in light of anti-Semitism, and how Jewish-Christian dialogue might enable one to think more deeply about Christology. This episode was recorded on October 25th, two days before the mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue. Prof. Philip A. Cunningham is Professor of Theology and Director of the Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA. He earned his BA in History and MsEd from Fordham, his MA in religious education from LaSalle University, and his PhD in Religion and Education from Boston College. He is most recently the author of Seeking Shalom: The Journey to Right Relationship between Catholics and Jews (Eerdmans, 2015), and the co-editor of Christ Jesus and the Jewish People Today: New Explorations of Theological Interrelationships (Eerdmans, 2011) and The Catholic Church and the Jewish People: Recent Reflections from Rome (Fordham University Press, 2007). Special thanks for this episode to Dr. Matthew Tapie, Director of the Center for Catholic Jewish Studies at Saint Leo University making the recording of this conversation possible.  

Today’s podcast features a conversation between Daniella Zsupan-Jerome and Stephen Okey! Friends from their time together at Boston College, they talk about how Daniella’s experience in RCIA aided her in discovering her vocation to theology, her research into media, technology, and theology, and how she brings digital media into her classroom. She also discusses her love for The Office and sets us straight on the Lenten #ashtag controversy. Dr. Daniella Zsupan-Jerome is Director of the MA in Pastoral Leadership and Professor of Pastoral Theology at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, LA. She earned he BA from University of Notre Dame, Masters degrees from St. John’s University in Collegeville and Yale Divinity School, and her PhD in Theology and Education from the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry. She is the author of Connected Toward Communion: The Church and Social Communication in the Digital Age (Michael Glazier, 2014). She has written in the past for the Daily Theology blog.

Today on the podcast we have Fr. Robert Imbelli! Now emeritus from Boston College, Fr. Imbelli spoke with Stephen Okey by phone this summer about how he found his vocation to theology within the Italian-American Catholic subculture of the mid-twentieth century, how that led him to study in Rome during the four sessions of Vatican II, and why he thinks Dei Verbum is the central text for interpreting the texts of that Council and the mission of the Church since. We also talk about Fr. Imbelli’s work in writing for popular publications and the movie A Quiet Place, which Steve is still too scared to watch.   Fr. Robert Imbelli is Associate Professor Emeritus of Theology at Boston College, where he taught for thirty years. Prior to that, he taught at St. Joseph’s Seminary (colloquially known as Dunwoodie) in New York. He earned his BA from Fordham University, his STL from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, and his PhD in Systematic Theology from Yale. His most recent book is Rekindling the Christic Imagination: Theological Meditations for the New Evangelization (Liturgical Press, 2014). He also edited Handing on the Faith: The Church’s Mission and Challenge (Crossroad, 2006), which came out of a meeting organized by Boston College’s Church in the 21st Century Center. Fr. Imbelli has written widely for popular audiences, including for America, Commonweal, and First Things.

Today’s podcast guest is Dr. Katherine Schmidt!  She spoke with Steve Okey by phone late this past summer, where they talked about their shared interests in theological engagements with media and technology, how the encounter with Catholic Social Teaching put her on the path to becoming a theologian, and why teaching gives her hope.  They also talk, albeit briefly, about The Bachelor and the Wheel of Time series. Katherine Schmidt is an Assistant Professor of Theology at Molloy College in Rockville Centre, NY.  She earned her BA in Political Science and Theology at Mount St. Mary’s University, and her MA in Theological Studies and PhD in Theology from the University of Dayton.  She teaches courses on American religion, theology and technology, and religious ethics.  Her research focuses on the intersection of theology and technology.  Her book, Virtual Communion: Theology of the Internet and the Catholic Sacramental Imagination, is forthcoming from Lexington Books.

This episode of the podcast brings us Joseph Gordon of Johnson University.  He was visiting Saint Leo University to speak about Henri de Lubac and his use of scripture in resistance to the Nazis.  In this conversation with Steve Okey, Joseph will speak about his research on this aspect of de Lubac’s life and work, how the Catholic theologians de Lubac and Lonergan have shaped Gordon’s work as a theologian in the Churches of Christ tradition, and what a Lonerganian view of assessment and student learning outcomes might look like.  They also discuss Gordon’s love of snakes, which fits perfectly with living in Florida. Dr. Joseph K. Gordon is an Associate Professor of Theology at Johnson University in Kissimmee, FL.  He earned his PhD in Systematic Theology and Ethics from Marquette University, his MDiv from Lincoln Christian Seminary, and his BA from Johnson University.  He became an ordained minister in the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ in 2009.  His research focuses on systematic and biblical theology, including his forthcoming book Divine Scripture in Human Understanding: A Systematic Theology of the Christian Bible (University of Notre Dame Press).  He also has a book forthcoming on the theology of Bernard Lonergan, SJ, entitled Bernard Lonergan: A Primer for Understanding his Life and Work (Wipf and Stock). Special thanks for this episode to Dr. Matthew Tapie, Director of the Center for Catholic Jewish Studies at Saint Leo University making the recording of this conversation possible.

The DT Podcast returns with this conversation with Pim Valkenberg! This past spring he was giving a lecture at Saint Leo University, where he sat down with Steve Okey. Listen as they talk about how Muslim migration to the Netherlands impacted Pim’s interest in interreligious dialogue, the importance of empathy and seeing the other’s point of view, and why agreement is not the real goal of dialogue. Stick around until the end to hear them talk about Dutch food and coffee culture. Dr. Pim Valkenberg is the Ordinary Professor of Religion and Culture at the Catholic University of America. He earned his BA in theology and religious studies at Utrecht State University, his MA, MDiv, and PhD at the Catholic Theological University of Utrecht. He previously taught at the Catholic University of Nijmegen and Loyola University Maryland. His research focuses on Catholic-Muslim dialogue. He has worked on the Mid-Atlantic Muslim-Catholic Dialogue (sponsored by the Islamic Circle of North America and the USCCB) since 2008. He is the author of Renewing Islam by Service: A Christian View of Fethullah Gülen and the Hizmet Movement (CUA Press, 2015), co-editor (with Anthony Cirelli) of Nostra Aetate: Celebrating 50 Years of the Catholic Church’s dialogue with Jews and Muslims (CUA Press, 2016), and editor of the textbook World Religions in Dialogue, Enhanced Edition: A Comparative Theological Approach(Anselm Academic, 2017). Special thanks for this episode to Dr. Matthew Tapie, Director of the Center for Catholic Jewish Studies at Saint Leo University making the recording of this conversation possible. You can help support us on Patreon! Patrons get shout-outs, swag, and the deep satisfaction that comes from helping bring quality theological conversation into the world of podcasts. Get all this, starting at the low commitment of $2/month!

We've been on hiatus for awhile, so here's a brief update on the Daily Theology Podcast, when we're returning (next week!), what we're doing the rest of this year (more interviews!), and a new way to support the show (Patreon!)

Season 3 of the podcast comes to a close with Steve Okey’s conversation with Greg Hillis of Bellarmine University! They met up at this past summer’s CTSA annual conference to talk about how a year at Bible college led to a career teaching theology, the gifts and challenges of inter-church marriages, and his interest in and connection to Thomas Merton and the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky. Greg also talks about his Thomas Merton-inspired tattoo and makes his case for Saint José Bautista.   Dr. Gregory Hillis is an Associate Professor of Theology at Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY. He has BA degrees from Rocky Mountain College, and he earned his MA and PhD from McMaster University. He has done research on Patristic theology, particularly Cyril of Alexandria, but more recently has focused on the life and work of Thomas Merton. He has published in Studia Patristica, America Magazine, and First Things He also writes the blog My Unquiet Heart, and has previously written for Daily Theology. Special thanks to the Catholic Theological Society of America for providing the opportunity for this episode to be recorded at its 2017 annual convention.

Season 3 of the podcast continues with Victoria Barnett! Dr. Barnett recently visited Saint Leo University at the invitation of our Center for Catholic Jewish Studies to speak on theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. She sat down to speak with Steve Okey (with an assist from Center Director Matt Tapie) about how studying liberation theology set her on the path to Bonhoeffer, her work with the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, and what the study of Bonhoeffer can teach us about Christian and religious life today.   Dr. Victoria Barnett is the Director of Programs on Ethics, Religion, and the Holocaust at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. She is an alumna of Indiana University, Union Theological Seminary, and George Mason University. She has published several books, including For the Soul of the People: Protestant Protest Against Hitler (Oxford, 1992) and Bystanders: Conscience and Complicity during the Holocaust (Greenwood Press, 1999). From 2004-14, she was one of the general editors for The Complete Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works Series from Fortress Press. Special thanks for this episode to Dr. Matthew Tapie, Director of the Center for Catholic Jewish Studies at Saint Leo University, for all his work to bring Rabbi Skorka to campus and for making this conversation possible.

Welcome back to the Daily Theology Podcast! Today’s episode features Steve Okey’s conversation with Jason King of Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA! Jason and Steve caught up at the CTS conference this past summer in Newport, RI. In this conversation, they talk about how Jason found his way into Catholic moral theology, his research into Catholic identity and the hookup culture on college campuses, and what to do when a course seems to fall apart. They also talk about science fiction and their love for Star Wars. Dr. Jason King is a Professor of Theology at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA. He earned his BA from Berea College, and his MA and PhD from the Catholic University of America. His research focuses on moral theology, with particular interest in relationships, families, and Catholic identity. He is the author most recently of Faith with Benefits: Hookup Culture on Catholic Campuses (Oxford, 2017). He has also co-written two books with Donna Freitas: Killing the Imposter God: Philip Pullman’s Spiritual Imagination in His Dark Materials (Jossey-Bass, 2007) and Save the Date: A Spirituality of Dating, Love, Dinner, and the Divine (Crossroad, 2003). He is a blogger for Catholic Moral Theology. Special thanks to the College Theology Society for enabling this episode to be recorded at the 2017 annual convention.

Season 3 of the podcast continues with Stephen Okey’s interview with Kevin Ahern. Since first meeting at Boston College in 2007, they have become close friends, collaborators, and occasional housemates. They sat down during the 2017 Annual Convention of the College Theology Society to talk about how Kevin’s experience of childhood illness shaped his vocation to be a theologian, what it means to do public theology in today’s world, and the importance of lay responsibility in the church. Dr. Kevin Glauber Ahern is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Manhattan College in Riverdale, NY. After earning his BA from Fordham University, he served for four years as President of the International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS-Pax Romana) in Paris. He then returned to the study of theology, earning an MA and PhD in Theological Ethics from Boston College. He is the author of Structures of Grace: Catholic Organizations Serving the Global Common Good (Orbis, 2015) and editor of Visions of Hope: Emerging Theologians and the Future of the Church (Orbis, 2012) and The Radical Bible (Orbis, 2009). Most recently he and Meghan J. Clark co-edited a festschrift in honor of David Hollenbach, SJ, titled Public Theology and the Global Common Good: The Contribution of David Hollenbach (Orbis, 2016). Special thanks to the College Theology Society for enabling this episode to be recorded at the 2017 annual convention. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher

After a long hiatus, the podcast returns for a brief but mighty season 3! Our opener is Stephen Okey’s interview with Kim and Reggie Harris. In spring 2017, they were at Saint Leo University as part of the Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellows program for Saint Leo’s Black History Month celebrations. During the interview, they spoke with Steve about the influence of African-American spirituals in their faith lives, how they brought their music into education, and the interrelationship of music and history. Kim also reveals how she maintained a full-time touring schedule while working on her Ph.D. at Union Theological Seminary and how she arranged a setting of the Catholic mass around the spirituals. Moreover, for the first time on the podcast, the guests sing!   Kim and Reggie Harris are widely regarded musicians, storytellers, and educators, who have toured extensively throughout the United States and the world. Kim is a Visiting Professor in Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University and a liturgical consultant for the Office of Black Ministry in the Archdiocese of New York. She earned a Ph.D. from Union Theological Seminary. Her dissertation project included creating “Welcome Table: A Mass of Spirituals,” along with M. Roger Holland II. Reggie is the Music Director for the Living Legacy Project, which focuses on civil rights and is affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Church. Together they have produced numerous albums, including “Steal Away: Songs Of The Underground Railroad” (1998), “Let My People Go! A Jewish and African American Celebration of Freedom” (2005), “Get On Board! Underground Railroad & Civil Rights Freedom Songs, Vol. 2” (2007), and “Resurrection Day” (2012). Special thanks to Saint Leo University’s School of Arts and Sciences for making this interview possible.

Season 2 of the podcast comes to an end with this very special episode featuring Rabbi Abraham Skorka! He was visiting Saint Leo University for a series of presentations on Catholic-Jewish dialogue, so he graciously sat down with Stephen Okey for this discussion. Rabbi Skorka speaks about the influence of his father on his decision to become a rabbi, his science background and how that affects his religious faith, and his friendship with Pope Francis as an example of interreligious dialogue.  Rabbi Abraham Skorka is the Rector of the Latin American Rabbinical Seminary in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was ordained a rabbi in 1973, and in 1979 he completed a Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Buenos Aires. In 2010, he and then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio published Sobre el cielo y la tierra, which was based on a series of conversations they held for TV on issues ranging from science to faith to abortion to the 1970s in Argentina. Following Bergoglio’s election to the papacy, the text was translated into numerous languages; the English edition is On Heaven and Earth (Image, 2015). Special thanks for this episode to Dr. Matthew Tapie, Director of the Center for Catholic Jewish Studies at Saint Leo University, for all his work to bring Rabbi Skorka to campus and for making this conversation possible.

Welcome to episode 28! This will be the penultimate episode of season 2, and it features Steve Okey’s conversation with Anita Houck of Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, IN! They talk about the spiritual dimension of Dr. Houck’s upbringing, the place of humor in spirituality, and how the idea of vocation shapes our lives. They also reminisce about the University of Chicago Divinity School and talk about their love of good teas!   Dr. Anita Houck is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, IN. She earned her BA from Wesleyan University, an M.Ed. from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. Along with Mary Doak, she is the co-editor of Translating Religion (Orbis, 2013). Special thanks to the College Theology Society for allowing this episode to be recorded at the 2016 annual meeting.

Hello again from the Daily Theology podcast! Today we bring you episode 27, featuring Steve Okey’s conversation with Dr. Mary Ellen Konieczny of the University of Notre Dame! They talk about how Prof. Konieczny’s experience working for the Archdiocese of Chicago led her to study the sociology of religion, her research into religious practice at the US Air Force Academy, and why the real problem of polarization is not conflict but lack of engagement. Prof. Mary Ellen Konieczny is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Notre Dame, and she holds the Henkels Family Collegiate Chair. She is also currently a fellow at the Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Study, a faculty fellow at the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, and a faculty fellow at the Center for the Study of Religion and Society. She earned her BS from Notre Dame, her MDiv from Weston Jesuit School of Theology, and her PhD from the University of Chicago. She is the author of The Spirit’s Tether: Family, Work, and Religion among American Catholics (Oxford University Press, 2013) and the forthcoming Service before Self: Organization, Cultural Conflict, and Religion at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Along with Charlie Camosy and Tricia Bruce, she is the co-editor of Polarization in the US Catholic Church: Naming the Wounds, Beginning to Heal (Liturgical Press, 2016). Her next project, “Our Lady of Kibeho: Exploring Marian Devotion in East Africa,” will take her to Rwanda for research on the interplay of post-genocide reconciliation and religious practice. She can be found on Twitter, for which she credits Charlie Camosy. Special thanks to Tara Durheim of Liturgical Press for helping to arrange this episode.