
Church and Main is a religion and public affairs podcast. We look at where religion intersects with 21st-century public life with a focus on the story of Mainline Protestantism, its problems, its strengths, and its future. Join Pastor Dennis Sanders on the journey.
We talk about what’s going on in the Windy City when it comes to ICE, pastors, and immigration.
Jack Shitama, an ordained United Methodist minister, talks about the concept of societal regression and its implications for leadership and community engagement. Shitama explains how societal regression mirrors emotional regression in families, characterized by polarization and a desire for quick fi...
A pastor opines that maybe we need God to come by here.
I chat with Andrew Berg, who authored “Counterintuitive Arguments for and Against U.S. Support for Israel.” Andrew challenges conventional political narratives and examines the moral implications of U.S. support from both conservative and progressive angles. Andrew emphasizes the need for empathy to...
Professor Anthony Baker discusses the Barmen Declaration and its implications for American Christianity today. We analyze its historical context from the 1930s and why we are not currently experiencing a similar moment. Professor Baker emphasizes the declaration's intent to maintain the church's ind...
Today we look at the compassionate conservatism and its relevance in today's political climate with historian John Fea. We examine the origins of this movement, rooted in social justice and faith-based initiatives, and its initial implementation during the George W. Bush administration, particularly...
Todd Stavrakos discusses the mission of Pathways for Peace, focusing on fostering dialogue between the Jewish and mainline Christian communities regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict. He highlights the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the complexities of the situation, including the roles o...
I chat with Jason Micheli, a United Methodist pastor, on the pitfalls of pathos in politics, emphasizing its potential to overshadow core Christian tenets. Drawing on Jason's article "Deprive Them of Their Pathos," we reflect on Karl Barth’s theological insights, arguing against conflating faith wit...