Episodes
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Ever heard of the Bartonian Metaphysical Society? How about the Druze? If you’re like most people, you probably haven’t. On this episode, we ask: What’s it like to be a member of a tiny religion in a world dominated by “Big God”?
From the early days of new religious movements to the precarious old age of ancient faiths, join Dave as we explore the unique experiences, joys and challenges of being one of the few rather than one of the many. We'll talk to sociologist Susan Jean Palmer about what religions are like when they're brand new, how they're born, and what it takes for them to grow. And we’ll talk to Zoroastrian Studies researcher Nazneen Engineer about the challenges of population decline and the enduring cultural legacy of her faith as its numbers dwindle.
Susan Jean Palmer is the author of eleven book-length sociological studies of new religious movements, including Aliens Adored: Rael’s New Religion, Moon Sisters, Krishna Mothers, Rajneesh Lovers and Storming Zion: Government Raids on Religious Communities. Find out more about her work here and learn about her research on children raised in minority religions here.
Nazneen Engineer was the first Postdoctoral Researcher at the Shapoorji Pallonji Institute of Zoroastrian Studies based at SOAS, University of London. Find out more about her work here, and learn about the survey of Zoroastrians she managed, Gen Z and Beyond: A Survey for Every Generation, here.
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Religion is often about powerful beings coming down from the skies and humans yearning to go up to join them. Does that mean we can swap aliens in for God? More and more people seem to think so. In fact, many spiritually-minded people are looking to UFOs as opportunities to commune with enlightened alien teachers. Some believe they’re even aliens themselves, sent here to prepare us for a new age. But when religion gets mixed with conspiracy theory, things can sometimes take a darker turn.
Join Dave as he speaks with religious studies professor Diana Walsh Pasulka, about what belief in UFOs might share with other religions, and with anthropologist Susannah Crockford about how and why conspiracy theories are giving rise to a new spiritual movement.
Diana Walsh Pasulka is the author of Encounters: Experiences with Nonhuman Intelligence and American Cosmic: UFOs, Religion, Technology. Find out more about her work on her website.
Susannah Crockford is the author of Ripples of the Universe: Spirituality in Sedona, Arizona, and the host of the new podcast Miss Information, a podcast about the ways online misinformation and conspiracy theories infiltrate wellness communities and conservative Christian spaces.
Also, be sure to check out Dave’s recent article in the Boston Globe on aliens as a new spiritual movement!
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What makes a trip a pilgrimage? And why have people from across the globe made these treks for millennia? Is it the destination that makes these journeys so important to so many cultures? Or is it the community and meaning-making that happen along the way? And how are people changed by the experience after they come home?
Join Dave as he talks with writer and New York Times contributor Aatish Taseer about what he saw last year when he went on pilgrimages into the hearts of three faiths. And with psychologist and leading pilgrimage scholar Heather Warfield, about how these treks, even in secular form, can improve mental health and wellbeing.
Aatish Taseer is the author of A Pilgrimage Year. Special thanks to Aatish for sharing recordings from his travels with us for use in today’s episode. Follow him on X @aatishtaseer and Instagram @aatishalitaseer.
Heather Warfield is a professor at Antioch University New England. Learn more about her work in the field of Pilgrimage Studies on her website.
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Is religion a source of conflict, or a way to end it? From the tragic situation in the Middle East to rising Christian Nationalism in the US, it might seem the former. But for faiths that emphasize love, compassion, and forgiveness, might the latter also be true?
Join Dave as he talks with theologian Miroslav Volf about how religion blurs with political identity and violent ideologies, and why the answer to this problem might not be to remove religion from our lives and the public square, but to have more of it in both. And with anthropologist Benjamin Purzycki about how our views of what God wants can change in the face of conflict.
Miroslav Volf is a Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School and the Director of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture. Learn more about his work here and check out his podcast For the Life of the World.
Benjamin Grant Purzycki is an Associate Professor in the Department of the Study of Religion at Aarhus University in Denmark. Learn more about his work here and here.
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Join us for Season 6 of How God Works, starting next week!
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Surveys show feelings of sadness and despair peaked in 2023. So as we look to the new year, it's understandable why any of us might be feeling pessimistic, even hopeless. But these feelings aren't written in stone. We always have a choice. It's in these darkest of times, when all feels lost, that hope helps us find our way...not just to heal ourselves, but also the world around us.
On this episode, we'll talk with the Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, about how he remains motivated and hopeful, even while covering some of the most tragic events in recent history. And he’ll offer a little advice for ways we can all rise above despair.
And we'll talk with Roshi Joan Halifax -- ecologist, civil rights activist, hospice caregiver, and founder of the Upaya Zen Center -- about the Buddhist-informed notion of wise hope, the equanimity it can bring, and the fierce compassion it can unleash.
Nicholas Kristof is the author of the forthcoming book Chasing Hope. Read his NYT columns here, and find out more about the cider he makes here.
Roshi Joan Halifax leads the Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Learn more about her work on her website.
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When it comes to treating addiction, twelve-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous are some of the most often used in the US. But while twelve-step programs have several components, one of the most central is surrendering control to a higher power. But how important is that idea? Does relying on a divine influence help or hurt? And might there be other routes to recovery?
We’ll talk with bestselling author and New York Times opinion writer Maia Szalavitz about what the research on addiction and addiction recovery shows, as well as her own path out of drug abuse. And we’ll discuss the relationship between perceptions of “divine control” and personal wellbeing with sociologist Laura Upenieks.
Maia Szalavitz is the author of Undoing Drugs: How Harm Reduction is Changing the Future of Drugs and Addiction. Learn more about the book, and her other writings, on her website.
Laura Upenieks is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Baylor University. Learn more about her research here.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction there are many resources out there to help. Among the options Maia recommends exploring to see if they are right for you: SMART Recovery, Women for Sobriety, and Alcoholics Anonymous.
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For most of the past 200 years, religion and psychiatry didn’t get along too well. Or so the story goes. But if you go back far enough, the two have more in common than you might think. On this episode, we’ll hear about the deep history of integrating spirituality into mental health treatments, and how it’s being rediscovered today at some of the world’s top mental health facilities.
We’ll talk with psychiatrist Rania Awaad about her work reconnecting the Muslim community to Islam’s long, but often forgotten, history of mental health treatment. And with psychologist David Rosmarin about the program he’s pioneered at McLean hospital to integrate spirituality into psychiatric treatment.
Dr. Rania Awaad M.D., is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Stanford University School of Medicine where she is the Director of the Stanford Muslim Mental Health & Islamic Psychology Lab as well as Stanford University's Affiliate Chaplain and Affiliate Professor of Islamic Studies. Find out more about her work here.
Dr. David Rosmarin is the director of the Spirituality and Mental Health Program at McLean Hospital and an associate professor of psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is the author of the book Thriving with Anxiety: 9 Tools to Make your Anxiety Work for You. Learn about his work, and his book on his website.
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It’s no accident that the Hebrew word for breath is the same as the word for spirit (ruach). Breath doesn’t just give us life: it helps regulate everything from vital organ functions to cognition and emotional states. That’s why spiritual traditions the world over incorporate it as a practice to help heal body and mind and walk the path towards peace.
Join us as we explore the breath’s connection to our nervous system with psychologist and neuroscientist Stephen Porges, creator of Polyvagal Theory. We’ll also learn about the spiritual roots of breathwork and try out a few techniques with noted yoga, qigong and meditation teacher Amelia Barili.
Learn more about Dr. Stephen Porges’s work and Polyvagal Theory on his website, and be sure to check out his new book, co-authored with Seth Porges: Our Polyvagal World: How Safety and Trauma Change Us.
Dr. Amelia Barili is faculty at the UCB Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and professor emerita from the University of California at Berkeley. Learn more about her work on her website and check out her YouTube channel the new paradigms.
We also highly recommend the book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, by James Nestor.
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We’ve all heard of spiritual experiences – moments of feeling intense awe and deep love and connection. People who’ve had them – and it’s a lot more than you might think – see them as some of the most profound moments of their lives. Moments that change them for the better in enduring ways. But what’s going on in our brains when these experiences happen? Do you even need religious beliefs to have them? And, if you’re so inclined, how might you start?
Episode Guests:
David Yaden is Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Find out more about his research here.
Robert Forman is a former Professor of Religion and author of many books about spirituality. Find out more about his work here.
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Today we’re featuring an episode from the new PRX podcast Mother is a Question.
What is Unteachable about Mothering?
Our journey into this territory of mothering begins. Tasha searches out someone whose deep wisdom about mothering was totally lost on her when they first met ten years ago. Back then, Teourialier Johnson—who Tasha met as “T”—was a teacher of motherhood in an unlikely context. Now, for us, she’s a teacher of so much more, opening to transformation even when it seems all has been lost. Join us as “T” navigates some of the greatest challenges a mother can face, and shares how she attunes to the eternal dance of mothering another human: the graceful movement between listening and guiding, giving and taking, the known and the unknown.
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Around the world, gender diversity isn't the exception; it's fairly common. It’s also not a new invention. Many indigenous societies have long recognized a wide variety of gender expressions, and given leadership roles in spiritual life to gender fluid people. And while colonization has often influenced gender norms, leading to discrimination and violence, many of these traditions are still very much alive. Join Dave as he explores the history, present, and future of life beyond the binary.
Episode Guests:
Dr. Sharyn Graham Davies is Director of the Herb Feith Indonesia Engagement Centre at Monash University. Her research focuses on gender, sexuality and health in the Asia-Pacific region. Read more about her work among the Bugis community of Sulawesi here.
Marca Cassity is an enrolled citizen of the Osage Nation and a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in LGBTQ and Native American trauma. A songwriter, performing under the non-binary version of their name Marx Cassity, their forthcoming album, which can be heard throughout this episode, is steeped in themes of queer and indigenous visibility and resilience.
This episode also benefited from the research of historian Gregory D. Smithers. We highly recommend his book: Reclaiming Two-Spirits: Sexuality, Spiritual Renewal & Sovereignty in Native America.
This episode mentions some forms of violence and trauma, and discusses the existence of ideas and terms that could bring up painful issues for many gender nonconforming people. If you or someone you know is struggling with notions of self-harm or suicidal ideation, please reach out for help. A list of resources for LGBTQ2S people is available here. The phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is: 1-800-273-8255 (TALK)
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Christianity and Judaism have had long standing theological concerns with LGBTQ+ issues. BUT from the Vatican to certain Jewish denominations, there are movements afoot to be more open, tolerant, and accepting. In the first of a two-part series on gender and spirituality, we’ll talk with Father James Martin and Rabbi Shira Stutman about the history of discrimination in their traditions and how that’s starting to change. We’ll also take a look at the science behind how religion can directly impact people’s attitudes toward LGBTQ issues on an emotional level, and hear from Meli Barber, the president of Dignity USA about her difficult experiences with the church and her hopes for change.
Father James Martin’s new book Come Forth: The Promise of Jesus’s Greatest Miracle is now available for purchase. For more information on his ministry and work providing resources for LGBTQ Catholics, visit the Outreach website.
Rabbi Shira Stutman is a nationally known faith-based leader and advocate for LGBTQ rights. Check out her wonderful podcast, Chutzpod! here.
Meli Barber is the current president of Dignity USA, an organization for LGBTQIA+ Catholics. Learn more about their work here.
Read Dave’s paper about the influence of emotions on implicit biases here.
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When’s the last time you actually heard silence? We’re flooded with noise everyday, so much so that we don’t even realize it. And it's not just bad for our ears, it's not great for our health or wellbeing either. We’ll take a look at how noise (and its absence) affect the workings of our mind and our emotions. Why silence can make us feel more connected to ourselves and one another, and how spiritual traditions seek to create silent spaces for contemplation and growth. We’ll also ask the question: If college is supposed to prepare students for a better life, should universities take inspiration from their monastic origins and teach students to cultivate silence as one way to grow in mind and spirit?
Episode Guests:
Justin McDaniel is the Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Endowed Professor of the Humanities in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Visit his website to learn more about his work.
Justin Zorn is the co-author, with Leigh Marz, of the book Golden: The Power of Silence in a World of Noise. Visit his website to learn more about the book and Justin’s other work.
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How God Works is coming back to your feed on September 24th! Tune in this season as we tackle topics like the value of silence, how different faiths view gender and sexuality, the power of mystical experience and connecting to the breath, and much more.
And in the meantime, feel free to catch up on older episodes, and rate and review the show wherever you listen.
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Every year, thousands of people head to Nevada's Black Rock Desert for a week at Burning Man. And while from the outside, it might seem like a place for partying, drugs, and debauchery, to many, it offers something deeper, even life changing.
We’ll ask neuroscientist Molly Crockett and Episcopal minister Alex Leach, both burners themselves: Is Burning Man a new type of spiritual gathering? How and why does it deeply move people? And should more traditional faiths aim to have a bit more Burning Man in them? After all, Jesus went to the desert to find himself. Maybe we should too.
For more on Molly’s research, visit her website or read her article in The Guardian. Alex Leach’s camp at Burning Man is Religious AF. Special thanks to Alex for recording interviews and ambient audio for this episode at this year’s Burning Man.
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The lights are dimmed, candles are lit, bodies begin to sway together as the voice from the stage says a spirit-lifting, soul-stirring affirmation…and then screams “Now sprint for 10!”.
Group fitness classes have, for many, become something more than just a good way to get the blood pumping and pounds dropping. On this episode we take a look at why exercise classes from Soul Cycle to Crossfit have become some of the most fervent venues for secular spirituality and how some religious leaders and institutions are re-discovering this age-old symbiosis of body and spirit -- ones that use the body to change what we feel, how we connect, and what we believe.
And we'll learn some of the science behind why sweating together brings us closer together.
Episode Guests:
Casper ter Kuile is the author of the book The Power of Ritual. Find out more about his work on his website.
Emma Cohen is a Professor of Cognitive Anthropology at the University of Oxford, where she leads the Social Body Lab.
Rabbi Jaymee Alpert is the co-creator of Neshama Body and Soul, a practice that combines exercise with prayer.
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It's not news that the US is becoming more secular. People have been drifting away from religion for decades, and that trend is accelerating right now in people under 40. But there is a small but growing trend in those same generations of people who are seeking just the opposite. These people are looking to older and more orthodox forms of faith to find meaning, purpose, and community even in the face of what many might consider to be more sexist and less tolerant ideas.
Join Dave as he talks to two Millennials who have converted to more traditional forms of faith about the reasons for their choice, how it affects their lives, and why they believe these more ancient forms of religiosity have value… perhaps now more than ever.
Kelsey Osgood is a writer and convert to Modern Orthodox Judaism, currently working on a book about religious conversion among women, scheduled to be published in 2024. Find out more about her on her website.
Julia Yost was raised Catholic, but transitioned to a more traditional form of Catholicism as a young adult. She is a senior editor and regular contributing author at First Things magazine. She also authored this opinion piece about young converts in The New York Times.
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This episode is an edited version of a live event held at WBUR’s Cityspace on May 15, 2023. A full-length video of the event is available here.
For decades, studies from around the globe showed that happiness followed a U-shaped curve across the lifespan. For many people, the teens and twenties were some of the happiest and most carefree times of life — a period to be enjoyed before happiness began to drop and hit its low point around 50. BUT, over the past 10 years, a seismic change has taken place. The front end of the happiness curve collapsed, meaning that teens and twenties are now the most unhappy time of life.
From the increasing use of social media, to being isolated from friends during the pandemic, to the academic pressures of applying to college, to growing up in a world that feels threatened from climate change, gun violence, and political strife, the reasons for this crisis in mental health are many. The solutions, however, have been few.
But there’s a growing sense (and data) that when it comes to finding a way through challenging times, looking back at ancient wisdom for strategies on how to thrive — how to find joy, peace, empathy, and meaning — can help.
Join Dave and a panel of experts and voices from Gen Z to explore the science behind when and how secular and spiritual practices might help young adults (and really any of us) deal with the stresses and disconnection of modern life, whatever our spiritual beliefs (including none at all).
Guests:
Dr. Laurie Santos is the Chandrika and Ranjan Tandon Professor of Psychology at Yale University. She hosts The Happiness Lab Podcast and created the record-breaking courses “The Science of Wellbeing” (the most popular course at Yale) and “The Science of Wellbeing for Teens.”
Greg M. Epstein serves as the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University and at MIT — a role in which he supports the ethical and communal lives of nonreligious students. He’s also the author of the New York Times bestseller Good Without God, and recently served as president of Harvard University's 40+ chaplains.
Tyler VanderWeele is the John L. Loeb and Frances Lehman Loeb Professor of Epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where he directs the Human Flourishing Program. His work has been internationally recognized for illuminating the factors that underlie health and wellbeing in adolescents and adults.
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