Good Faith

Katelyn Beaty, author and journalist who studies evangelical culture, critiques how persona and platforms reshape Christian life. She discusses persona versus fame, the shift from embodied relationships to content-first platforms, platform temptations for leaders, megachurch limits, and how AI might detach teaching from real community. Short, sharp, and provocative takes on faith, publicity, and belonging.

Francis Collins, physician-geneticist who led the Human Genome Project and founded BioLogos, and Kristine Torjesen, scientist and BioLogos CEO bridging Christian faith with public health, discuss political attacks on science. They talk about shutdowns of HIV programs, vaccine distrust, cuts to research and pandemic preparedness, and how to engage Christians who are skeptical of science.

Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson, Fletcher Jones Chair of Great Books at Pepperdine and author on literature and faith, discusses Leif Enger’s I Cheerfully Refuse. She explores Enger’s hopeful take on apocalypse, why novels still matter more than fleeting media, and practical practices—bookstores, music, nature, friendship—that sustain joyful resistance in dark times.

The Intersection of Trump, Iran, and the Moral Limits of War What should Christians think about the U.S. war with Iran, Israel's role in the conflict, and the risk of a wider Middle East war? In this Good Faith Podcast episode, Curtis Chang and New York Times columnist David French unpack the escalating U.S.-Iran war through the lens of Christian theology, just war theory, constitutional checks and balances, and the moral limits of presidential power. They explore whether America's military action against Iran is just, legal, or dangerously reckless, while also addressing Israel, regime change, MAGA foreign policy, and the growing risk of a wider global conflict. Join David and Curtis for a thoughtful framework for understanding war in a volatile moment. Sign up for The After Party Sign up for The Good List Get tickets: Illuminate Arts + Faith Conference and our recording with Matt Maher 02:32 - Did Anyone See This Coming? 04:51 - Distinguishing Just and Legal Wars 09:25 - Evaluating America's War Against Iran 14:46 - Why Hasn't Congress Acted? 17:59 - Truthfulness of the Administration 22:32 - Potential Consequences of Prolonged War 33:12 - What About the Theory That Trump's War is a Diversion From Personal Scandals? 39:04 - Evangelical Support for Israel 44:08 - Are We Heading Toward World War III? 53:49 - Christian Prayer and Moral Response Scriptures: 1 Timothy 2:1–2 (ESV) Mentioned in This Episode: A primer on Just War Theory Augustine and Just War Theory The UN Charter Chapter VII, Article 51: the use of force and collective self-defense What is the War Powers Resolution? Abraham Lincoln'sLetter to Congress: January 12, 1848 (Speech regarding Mexican War) Background on U.S. Relations With Iran (1953-2026) Background on Operation Praying Mantis Impacts of the U.S. killing of Qassem Soleimani More about the Lockerbie bombing The Ezra Klein Show, March 3 episode: The Great Lie of War More From David French: David French's New York Times pieces HERE Follow David French on Threads Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Dave Evans, co-founder of the Stanford Life Design Lab and author on applying design thinking to life, offers a fresh take on meaning. He discusses design moves like radical acceptance, the balance of flow, rethinking impact-driven striving, grief made real, and practical starter practices to live with more presence and coherence now.

A communal time of prayer responding to real requests about hope, reconciliation, and suffering. Moments of guided silence invite listeners to surrender outcomes and offer wordless longings. Themes include family healing, coping with hopelessness, and praying for those in danger.

Brian Webb, Director of Sustainability at the College of Wooster and longtime higher-ed sustainability educator, blends outdoor experience with Christian theology to mobilize institutions on creation care. He links climate impacts to human suffering worldwide and at home. Conversation covers institutional action, measuring progress, missionaries as trusted messengers, and cultivating stubborn optimism for faithful, collective climate work.

Taualo Penivao, General Secretary of the Christian Church of Tuvalu and theologian, gives a firsthand account of life on low-lying Tuvalu. He describes daily reliance on the sea, saltwater damage to crops and reefs, and scientific warnings about land loss. He discusses tough choices between cultural attachment, migration to places like Australia, and technical land-reclamation plans.

N.T. Wright, British New Testament scholar and theologian known for work on Paul and Christian eschatology. He argues the Bible points to new creation and God's homecoming on earth. Short takes explore continuity between Testaments, rejecting a Platonic escape, the royal priesthood calling, how worship and work fit into renewal, and the now-and-not-yet tension in suffering and hope.

Sara Groves, singer-songwriter and Twin Cities arts advocate, shares eyewitness accounts of ICE activity in St. Paul. She challenges common narratives about enforcement, explains Operation PARRIS and its effects on refugees, and reflects on “borrowed courage,” the cost of public witness, and how art and community can respond to fear and constitutional overreach.