In this Holy Week episode, Chris and Eddie are joined by Kavin Rowe, author of Christianity’s Surprise: A Sure and Certain Hope. Rowe discusses the missing sense of imagination in American Christianity, how God’s promises for the future reach into the present, the interconnectedness of humanity, and how Christian institutions have evolved over time.

Chris and Eddie are joined by Reverend Dr. Will Willimon, Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at Duke Divinity School and former Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church. Willimon’s experience as a professor has informed his perspective on the ongoing vocational questions we ask at many different stages of life. They talk about cultural idols, what the Gospel looks like in a college or university setting, and the problems and pressures that American Christianity faces.

Chris and Eddie are joined by Adam Weber, pastor of Embrace Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Adam’s most recent book, Love Has A Name, details the kind of healing love that draws people closer to Jesus and the true heart of the Gospel. His experience as a pastor has been greatly enriched by the work of ministry that happens right on his front porch. He talks to Chris and Eddie about his passion for mental health awareness, the problems and questions from people outside of the church, and how to use language to build empathy and trust.

Chris and Eddie are joined by Dr. Norman Wirzba, the Gilbert T. Rowe Distinguished Professor of Christian Theology and Senior Fellow at the Kenan Institute of Ethics at Duke University. Wirzba’s upcoming book, This Sacred Life: Humanity’s Place in a Wounded World explores three central questions at the intersection of theology and ecology: Who are we? Where are we? What should we do? Wirzba acknowledges that the doctrine of creation is not simply the teaching about how the world began, and he views creation care as an act of honor to God. This episode discusses the realities of climate change as both an ideological and financial issue, the importance of God’s covenant relationship with all of creation, and the limits of the natural world.

In this episode, Chris and Eddie talk with Leigh Stein about her New York Times article, “The Empty Religions of Instagram.” The article explores the ways social media users turn to influencers as moral authorities that offer structure, comfort, encouragement, and humor. Stein has observed the birth of a new online orthodoxy that resembles religious beliefs, but that is missing the mercy or grace of true human connections within faith communities. This episode offers insight into the disappointment of digital iconography, the outrage cycle of social media, and our innate urge to testify and tell our stories.

Amy Crouch is a student at Cornell University and, with her father Andy Crouch, co-author of “My Tech Wise Life: Growing Up and Making Choices in a World of Devices.” She joins Chris and Eddie to discuss what boundaries and understandings regarding technology are necessary to harness its advantages while mitigating its negative effects. Crouch bases her message around the understanding that technology is not a bad thing, but something that must be seen as a tool rather than a foundation of life. What does that look like practically? Tune in to the conversation to find out!

In this episode, Chris and Eddie speak to John Swinton, author of “Finding Jesus in the Storm: The Spiritual Lives of Christians with Mental Health Challenges.” A registered mental health nurse, Swinton has listened to the multi-layered experiences of Christians who deal mainly with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. Swinton maps out what it looks like to redefine health and healing in the context of connection, he speaks to the unique resources and community that the church can offer, and he addresses the sense of abandonment that Christians feel, especially when dealing with depression.

In this episode, Chris and Eddie talk to Dr. Monica Coleman, professor of African Studies at the University of Delaware and ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Monica’s memoir “Bipolar Faith: A Black Woman’s Journey with Depression and Faith” addresses the intersections of mental illness, faith, race, and family trauma. She speaks to her rejection of and return to God, how losing her faith was a critical step to experiencing God in a brand new way, and the impact of loving friendships throughout her highs and lows. Throughout this conversation, we pray you find hope in the loyalty of God and find grace for your own story.

Chris and Eddie are joined by Dr. Russell Moore, the President of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. Moore’s recent article “Losing Our Religion” addresses the ways many churches do not seem to believe what they teach and the reasons many have chosen to disaffiliate from the church. Moore speaks of the ways in which he was disillusioned as a fifteen year old by Bible Belt Christianity, his journey back through fear to a genuine faith, and his courage to stand for mercy and justice in the public square. Throughout this conversation and in his work, Moore poses a hopeful vision for the future of the church rooted in the promises of Jesus rather than cultural agendas.

Rev. Elizabeth Hagan shares her story of infertility with us and gives us a clearer understanding of the layers of grief that come with this struggle that most do not recognize. Specifically, she speaks about ways that communities of faith can become some of the least safe places for people to deal with the struggle. Even so, Hagan also shines a light on how God’s grace can guide people through the struggle and how the desires we have to create families are God-given and should not be given up on. This conversation is purposed to inspire us all toward a more loving way of coming alongside those who struggle with this weighty topic of birth and motherhood.

In this Holy Week episode, Chris and Eddie are joined by Kavin Rowe, author of Christianity’s Surprise: A Sure and Certain Hope. Rowe discusses the missing sense of imagination in American Christianity, how God’s promises for the future reach into the present, the interconnectedness of humanity, and how Christian institutions have evolved over time.

Makoto Fujimura explains how the power, mystery, and depth of art drive us to ask deeper questions. He introduces his spiritual discipline of “slow art,” speaks to the nuances of tradition, and ponders the ways art can liberate us in our cultural context. Fujimura gives us space to identify where we meet Jesus in both making and consuming. This conversation speaks to the healing gift of art as culture care, rather than a commodity.

Chris and Eddie talk to Nate Paulk and Demetrius Short, two men who have partnered together to create a shared space for meaningful community in the East Nashville area. Paulk and Short operate out of radical hospitality for their neighbors and have turned their ears toward the concerns and hopes of their community to foster spaces where people of all races can thrive. Paulk and Short discuss the importance of uncovering implicit biases, ways we can ensure that diversity is not just a box to check off, what it looks like to establish trust, and how our natural curiosity can lead to greater conversations about how to love our neighbors better.

In an age where the truth is increasingly being contorted to suit our agendas and desires for power, the challenge of a “Post Truth World” is more complex and difficult than we might imagine. Southern Methodist University Professor of Ethics, Dr. Stephen Long, joins us on The Weight for frank, in-depth conversation about the challenges of recovering the prioritization of truth in a political climate that yields it to desire for power.

Arielle Estoria joins Eddie and Chris to discuss “Remember Her,” her recent poem honoring Breonna Taylor, empowering women to seek strength and fullness, struggling to find her authority as a woman in a patriarchal tradition, and the way in which performing arts give a voice to the voiceless. In all of her work, Arielle challenges her audience to not only hear her message, but encounter and apply it in a greater context.

Rev. Dr. Esau McCaulley is a theologian, priest, and author of the new book "Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope." He joins Eddie and Chris to discuss how Christians can have open dialogue about riots and protests, and how white Christians can interpret the truth behind the phrase “Black Lives Matter.” They talk about specific passages in the Bible that point to the grief and rage Black Americans feel and where the cross of Christ fits into the scope of human emotion.

Brian spoke with Eddie and Chris about his personal transformation from conservative evangelicalism to what he calls the “biblical Gospel of peace.” He uses the narrative of his life and the evangelical movement to offer a wholehearted critique of the marriage of civil religion and the American church and the ways it can inhibit faithfulness to the call of Christ. Though Zahnd’s ideas may rub against the grain of the beliefs of some, it offers an important perspective to consider in the discernment of faithful witness in the United States.

Hamilton discusses the frequent zoom calls with his staff, the opportunity to learn and connect with other pastors in the United States, and the unexpected rewards in the midst of having to remain at home. Listeners will learn what Church of the Resurrection is doing and how they will approach reopening. All three pastors Chris, Eddie, and Adam examine and consider the new form of ministry that focuses on online worship. Hamilton emphasizes the importance of holding onto the knowledge gained during this time and applying it to the future.