The Vicars' Crossing

Brian Zahnd is the founder and lead pastor of Word of Life Church in St. Joseph, Missouri. Brian is a passionate reader of theology and philosophy, an avid hiker and mountain climber, and an authority on all things Bob Dylan.

Brian is the author of several books, including Beauty Will Save the World, A Farewell To Mars, Water To Wine, Sinners In The Hands Of A Loving God, Postcards From Babylon, and When Everything's On Fire and his most recent THE WOOD BETWEEN THE WORLDS.

This podcast was recorded on February 29th, 2024.

TW // This episode contains conversations about sexual assault, gender-based violence, rape culture, and/or other violence that can be emotionally triggering to some individuals.

Danielle Tumminio-Hansen is a writer, three-time Ivy League graduate, theologian, and faith leader with twenty years of experience as a public intellectual.  She routinely provides commentary and insight into contemporary issues in the American spiritual landscape.  Her areas of expertise include trauma-informed care, theological issues in human reproduction, the intersection of faith and popular culture, and the struggles faced by women, families, and children.  Danielle is known for her unique blend of incisive wis...

Ally Henny is the author of I Won’t Shut Up: Finding Your Voice When the World Tries to Silence You. She is a writer, speaker, advocate-minister, and vice president of The Witness: A Black Christian Collective–an organization committed to encouraging, engaging, and empowering Black Christians toward liberation from racism. Ally completed her Master of Divinity from Fuller Seminary with an emphasis in race, cultural identity, and reconciliation, and she hopes to lead a church someday. Since 2014, Ally has been leading conversations about race on her blog, The Armchair Commentary, and on social media where her posts reach mill...

This week we welcome Dr Jonathan C Augustine. Dr Augustine serves as senior pastor of St. Joseph AME Church, in Durham, NC. He is an accomplished author, respected academic leader, and nationally recognized social justice advocate who speaks for the equality of all human beings.
Dr Augustine’s most recent books are 

When Prophets Preach: Leadership
and the Politics of the Pulpit and 

Called to Reconciliation: How the Church
Can Model Justice, Diversity and Inclusion 

This podcast was recorded on November 30th, 2023.

we are excited to welcome spiritual director, retreat leader, and internationally known speaker and teacher on mystical spirituality and contemplative living — CARL MCCOLMAN He is the author of many books,
including The New Big Book of Christian Mysticism,
Eternal Heart: The Mystical Path to a Joyful Life, and Unteachable Lessons: Why Wisdom Can’t Be Taught and Why That’s Okay.
Carl McColman's approach to contemplation and mysticism is inclusive and expansive; 
he is dedicated to exploring the common ground between faith traditions, 
with a particular interest in the conne...

today we are excited to welcome one of the preeminent Theologians of our time - KWOK PUI-LAN 

Dr Kwok Pui Lan is the Dean’s Professor of Systematic Theology at Candler School of Theology. Has taught at Episcopal Divinity School, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Auburn Theological Seminary, Union Theological Seminary, and Yale Divinity School. Her research focuses on Asian feminist theology and postcolonial theology. She has written or edited 23 books in English and Chinese. Her current research focuses on postcolonial theology – to that end, she has released her most recent Book THE ANGLICAN TRADITION FROM A POS...

Today we are excited to welcome Matthew Thiessen to the podcast - Matthew is an associate professor of religious studies at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He is the award-winning author of numerous books, including 
- Paul and the Gentile Problem
- Jesus and the Forces of Death
- Contesting Conversion: Genealogy, Circumcision, and Identity in Ancient Judaism and Christianity
AND MOST RECENTLY,
- A Jewish Paul: The Messiah's Herald to the Gentiles

Andrew Whitehead is an Associate Professor of Sociology and Director of the Association of Religion Data Archives at the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture.
Andrew Whitehead is one of the foremost scholars of Christian nationalism in the United States. He is the lead author of  Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States —along with Samuel Perry—which won the 2021 Distinguished Book Award from the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. His new book is, American Idolatry: How Christian Nationalism Betrays the Gospel and Threatens the Church

Whitehead is a...

Jonathan Eig is the bestselling author of six books. His most recent King: A Life, was An Instant New York Times Bestseller, A Barack Obama Summer 2023 Read and was Hailed by The New York Times as "the definitive" account of MLK's life
 
Jonathan's previous book, Ali: A Life, won a 2018 PEN America Literary Award and was a finalist for the Mark Lynton History Prize. His works have been translated into more than a dozen languages.
 
He served as consulting producer for the PBS series "Muhammad Ali," which was directed by Ken Burns. Esquire magazine named Al...

Dr. Sarah Jean Barton is a theologian and occupational therapist with a Doctor of Theology degree from Duke Divinity School. She completed her occupational therapy training at Boston University. Her research interests include theology and disability, research in collaboration with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, bioethics, liturgy, and occupational engagement in religious activities. She has published and presented in a variety of interdisciplinary contexts on issues related to Christian theology and ethics, intellectual disability, spirituality, disability studies, and occupational therapy. She is the author of Becoming the Baptized Body: Disability and the Practice of Christian Community...