Episodes

YDS Professor Braxton Shelley discusses the origins and history of gospel music, the struggle at the heart of creativity and the risks AI poses to it, and bringing gospel legend Kirk Franklin to Yale for a masterclass.

Yale Divinity School alum and cinema scholar Richard Lindsay discusses the history of biblical films in Hollywood – from the influence of the Cold War and American culture on iconic biblical epics to the surprising ways camp and queer style shaped how these stories were told.

Yale Divinity School alum and hospice chaplain Reverend Aaron Klink discusses how spiritual care complements modern medicine, a near-death experience that transformed his understanding of mortality, and the enduring question of God’s presence in suffering. https://divinity.yale.edu/news/2025-05-06-where-is-god-in-suffering-spiritual-care-mortality-and-meaning-with-hospice

Professor of American Religious History Tisa Wenger discusses how the early US government used Christianity to justify indigenous land theft, the limits of religious freedom in America, and the importance of Yale’s new certificate in Native American and Indigenous studies. A transcript of this episode can be found here: https://divinity.yale.edu/news/2026-04-06-religion-power-and-indigenous-lands-a-quadcast-interview-with-tisa-wenger

Socio-cultural anthropologist Todne Thomas, Associate Professor of Divinity and Religious Studies at Yale Divinity School, discusses researching a 2015 arson of a predominantly Black church in Tennessee, what it says about humanity, and why in-depth study of American religious life is critically important. https://divinity.yale.edu/news/2025-12-12-what-a-2015-church-burning-reveals-about-race-religion-and-life-in-america-with

Yale University Professor of History and Religious Studies Carlos Eire discusses evolving Protestant and Catholic views on miracles, the history of near-death experiences, and ‘hot button issues’ including the celibacy rule for Catholic priests. https://divinity.yale.edu/news/2025-10-15-the-history-of-miracles-and-near-death-experiences-quadcast-interview-with-carlos

Andrew McGowan, Dean of Berkeley Divinity School and Professor at Yale Divinity School, discusses the origins of today’s Christian practices, which Christian rituals were lost over the centuries, and why the famous biblical story of Abraham and Isaac is about trust, not sacrifice.

Ryan Darr, YDS Assistant Professor of Religion, Ethics, and Environment and an expert on multispecies justice, discusses rapidly accelerating species extinctions, why they matter from an ethical and theological perspective, and why responses to the climate crisis and biodiversity loss requires less individual action and more new kinds of communities. https://divinity.yale.edu/news/species-extinctions-and-why-they-matter-quadcast-interview-ryan-darr

YDS Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity Teresa Morgan discusses what attracted Greeks and Romans to Christianity in the religion’s first centuries; how Greek and Roman societies shaped Christian teachings; and the challenges she faced as a female priest.

Yale SOM grad Bryan Enriquez ’21 discusses launching the Hallow prayer app, argues that technology and artificial intelligence are good for religion and religious practice, and responds to critics who say that the marketing of Hallow commercializes faith. Transcript available here: https://divinity.yale.edu/news/quadcast-developing-1-religion-app-world-bryan-enriquez

Professor John Grim, co-director of the Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology, discusses the relationship between indigenous religions and the environment, why religion needs to be part of the fight against climate change, and shares how he responds to climate change deniers. Transcript available here.

YDS Associate Professor of New Testament Yii-Jan Lin discusses how American immigration ideology and policy has been influenced by the Book of Revelation; COVID-19 and patterns of xenophobia in America; and modern political discourse on immigration. https://divinity.yale.edu/news/quadcast-modern-immigration-ideology-and-book-revelation-professor-yii-jan-lin

Yale Divinity School Lecturer Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove offers insights on the upcoming presidential election – drawing from his latest book with Bishop William Barber, ‘White Poverty’; discusses how a peacemaking trip to Iraq during the US invasion transformed his life; and talks about his work helping lead the new Center for Public Theology and Public Policy at YDS. https://divinity.yale.edu/news/quadcast-jonathan-wilson-hartgrove

YDS alumna Vanessa Avery shares lessons learned from decades of interfaith peacebuilding, how architecture can be used as a tool to bring people together, and the importance of radical hospitality. https://divinity.yale.edu/news/quadcast-sharing-sacred-spaces-and-radical-hospitality-vanessa-avery

Yale Divinity School Dean and Professor of New Testament Gregory E. Sterling discusses the future of theological education, overcoming polarization in America, and how the school’s new Living Village project is an ethical response to the climate crisis. https://divinity.yale.edu/news/future-theological-education-yds-dean-gregory-sterling

Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence co-founder Dr. Robin Stern discusses the role of spirituality and religion in understanding and managing emotions, the danger of suppressing emotions like anger, and her groundbreaking work on gaslighting. For more information and a transcript of this conversation, please see: https://divinity.yale.edu/news/emotional-intelligence-and-spirituality-dr-robin-stern

YDS Professor Emeritus John Collins, author of the book “The Apocalyptic Imagination,” discusses what the Bible really says about the end of the world; what caused the rise of apocalyptic literature; and how some Christians err in their understanding of end times. For more information and a transcript of this episode, please visit: https://divinity.yale.edu/news/what-bible-really-says-about-end-world-quadcast-interivew-john-collins

As the Yale Institute of Sacred Music celebrates its 50th anniversary, ISM Director Martin Jean discusses the institute’s past, present and future; how to save the genre of classical music; and what’s lost for humanity if sacred practice declines. https://divinity.yale.edu/news/importance-sacred-quadcast-interview-martin-jean

YDS Professor Joel Baden discusses launching and leading the Center for Continuing Education at YDS, defends his critical scholarship of the Bible, and critiques what he calls scholarly evangelicalism. A transcript of this interview can be found here.

In this episode, YDS alum Dr. Julie Faith Parker interprets the Bible through a feminist lens – reclaiming the biblical figure of Eve as a hero, questioning the common idea that only men authored scripture, and arguing that some of the women in Jesus’ circle are more important than some of the twelve disciples. For more information and a transcript of this episode: https://divinity.yale.edu/news/eve-isn-t-evil-alum-scholar-challenges-assumptions-about-women-bible

YDS Associate Dean for Student Affairs Reverend Vicki Flippin discusses the new Good Life Center at YDS, her previous pastoral role that included sheltering people at risk of deportation, and how Malcolm X inspired her to pursue a career in ministry.

Gabby Cudjoe Wilkes ’18 M.Div. and husband, Pastor Andrew Wilkes, discuss launching a Brooklyn-based church committed to Black lives and justice; their co-authored book, “Psalms for Black Lives”; and the challenges of being co-ministers and spouses.

YDS Professor John Pittard discusses artificial intelligence’s impact on religion; reflects theologically on whether future AI robots could connect with God; and argues for a global alliance to regulate AI.

Dr. Kyama Mugambi, Professor of World Christianity at Yale Divinity School, discusses how Christianity in Africa is impacting the global religious landscape, why Christianity in Africa is not a ‘colonizer’ religion, and what Christianity has in common with African Traditional Religions.