Good Faith
Join host Curtis Chang and his friends as they follow Jesus and make sense of the world. With expertise, thoughtfulness, and humor, they discuss how Christian faith intersects with culture, politics, work, entertainment, and other aspects of life. Good Faith is produced by Redeeming Babel. Good Faith is ranked in the top .5 percent of all podcasts.
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Good Faith Classic: Recovering Our Storytelling Superpower (with Nancy French)
04/27/2024
Good Faith Classic: Recovering Our Storytelling Superpower (with Nancy French)
We can't get enough of our friend Nancy French! Her debut memoir, “Ghosted: An American Story,” is available now. That's why we decided to revisit host Curtis Chang's journey into the realm of storytelling with Nancy as his guide. By embracing the narratives of our lives and recognizing the divine Author behind our individual stories, the duo urges listeners to explore family histories and origin tales to gain deeper insight into their journeys. Trust us, if you haven't listened to this episode yet, you're missing out on a classic! Bring course to your church or small group! Free online journaling:
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Ghosted: An American Story (with Nancy French)
04/20/2024
Ghosted: An American Story (with Nancy French)
Host Curtis Chang sits down for a gripping conversation with author and frequent Good Faith guest Nancy French to discuss her compelling new memoir "Ghosted: An American Story." Nancy opens up about wrestling with dark family and church secrets, shedding light on the complexities of transracial adoption and the challenges of losing one's community. She explores the power of being truly known and finding resilience in an unexpected romance that would also show her the enduring hope found in the cross of Jesus. Bring course to your church or small group! Join the Redeeming Babel Team! RESOURCES:
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How to Listen to Music (with Andy Crouch)
04/13/2024
How to Listen to Music (with Andy Crouch)
From Luke Combs and Tracy Chapman to Johann Sebastian Bach, host Curtis Chang engages in a captivating conversation with Good Faith contributor Andy Crouch about the profound significance of music in our everyday existence. Through insightful anecdotes and reflections, they explore how to actively listen to music and let it transcend mere entertainment to become a powerful conduit for meaning, expression, and even spiritual meditation. Join them as they harmonize on the transformative role of music and its timeless resonance in the human experience. Join us at the “Songs For The After Party” concert in Washington DC on 4/19/24. Buy tickets here! Bring course to your church or small group! Join the Redeeming Babel Team! MUSIC REFERENCED:
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The After Party Edition: The Bible and The Ballot (with Kaitlyn Schiess)
04/06/2024
The After Party Edition: The Bible and The Ballot (with Kaitlyn Schiess)
Host Curtis Chang sits down with Kaitlyn Schiess, author of the thought-provoking book, "The Bible and The Ballot." Delving into the intersection of faith and politics, this conversation offers a compelling analysis of how Christians can use or abuse scripture to influence civic engagement and public policy. Drawing from her extensive research and personal experiences, Schiess discusses how Christian traditions can interpret scripture and apply its teachings more faithfully to contemporary political engagement. Join us at the “Songs For The After Party” concert in Washington DC. Buy tickets here! Bring course to your church or small group! Join David French, Russell Moore and Curtis on 4/19/24 in Washington DC for a live day-long version of our After Party course. Learn more & buy tickets here! Join the Redeeming Babel Team! Order Kaitlyn Schiess’s book here: (available on Amazon)
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The Good Faith Podcast/The After Party Edition: What Democrats Fail to Get About Christians and Why It Matters (with David French)
03/30/2024
The Good Faith Podcast/The After Party Edition: What Democrats Fail to Get About Christians and Why It Matters (with David French)
Host Curtis Chang and “founding friend” David French engage in a thought-provoking discussion about the relationship between Democrats and Republican Evangelicals. With a nuanced exploration into topics like the “God Gap,” they shed light on why Democrats frequently fail to grasp the perspectives and values of Evangelicals. Also in this episode, David and Curtis address the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas and explain whether or not their views on the conflict have changed amidst the widening devastation. Bring course to your church or small group! Join David French, Russell Moore and Curtis on 4/19/24 in Washington DC for a live day-long version of our After Party course. Learn more & buy tickets here! Join the Redeeming Babel Team! (available on Amazon) Check out David’s work at
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The Good Faith Podcast/The After Party Edition: Why 2024 is not "deja vu all over again" (with Russell Moore)
03/23/2024
The Good Faith Podcast/The After Party Edition: Why 2024 is not "deja vu all over again" (with Russell Moore)
In this thought-provoking episode, public theologian and The After Party partner Russell Moore explores the need for pastors to equip themselves and their congregations for the distinctive challenges of a presidential election featuring repeat candidates and all new potential for national drama. Russell and Curtis also offer valuable insights into the role of faith communities in fostering both political discernment and public witness as they answer questions from pastors and church leaders. Bring course to your church or small group! Join David French, Russell Moore and Curtis on 4/19/24 in Washington DC for a live day-long version of our After Party course. Learn more & buy tickets here! Join the Redeeming Babel Team! (available on Amazon) (available on Amazon)
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The Good Faith Podcast/The After Party Edition: The Spiritual Discipline of Politics (with Michael Wear)
03/16/2024
The Good Faith Podcast/The After Party Edition: The Spiritual Discipline of Politics (with Michael Wear)
We tend to think of spiritual disciplines as taking us out of the world: privatized quiet times, sequestered retreats, individual Bible reading, and such. We especially disconnect spiritual disciplines from the very public world of politics. Michael Wear joins Curtis to challenge this disconnection. Together they explore how spiritual disciplines can form us for healthier politics, and also how politics can form our spiritual lives. (by Michael Wear) Bring course to your church or small group! Join David French, Russell Moore and Curtis on 4/19/24 in Washington DC for a live day-long version of our After Party course. Learn more & buy tickets here! Join the Redeeming Babel Team! (available on Amazon) (by Dallas Willard)
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The Good Faith Podcast/The After Party Edition: Anxiety and Politics
03/09/2024
The Good Faith Podcast/The After Party Edition: Anxiety and Politics
In this first episode in a series on faith and political engagement, we delve into the intersection of anxiety and politics, as Christians navigate the mounting tension of the 2024 election cycle. In an interview conducted by DT Slouffman, Redeeming Babel’s Director of Content, Curtis shares insightful perspectives on how faith can helpfully form our emotional, relational, and church life. If you’re wondering how to navigate the coming months with both hope and humility, this episode is for you! Bring course to your church or small group! Join David French, Russell Moore and Curtis on 4/19/24 in Washington DC for a live day-long version of our After Party course. Learn more & buy tickets here! Join the Redeeming Babel Team! (available on Amazon) (available on Amazon)
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How to cultivate the inner life we need to face a chaotic world (with Alison Cook)
03/02/2024
How to cultivate the inner life we need to face a chaotic world (with Alison Cook)
Our outer world – our politics, our society, our organizations, even our local community and families – can be enormously complex and even chaotic at times. How do we make sense of all that happens around us? Author and therapist Alison Cook joins Curtis to explore a key strategy: exploring our inner world. They discuss why grasping our inner complexity is critical to properly understanding our external world. This rich discussion covers the theological reasons for this process, as well as many practical steps on how to get started in this inner journey. We're having a party and we'd love for our Good Faith listeners to come! We'll be joined by good friends David French and Russell Moore for a live day-long version of our After Party course as we chart a path towards better Christian politics. Learn more & buy tickets here! Join the Redeeming Babel Team! (available on Amazaon) (+ 2 other IFS themed resources) Article: Podcast Episode: New book:
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How we talk about cancer (with Nancy French)
02/24/2024
How we talk about cancer (with Nancy French)
40% of all Americans will receive a diagnosis of cancer in their lifetime and practically every adult will know someone who already has. How do we talk about this reality? Nancy French, who recently was diagnosed with an aggressive type of breast cancer, joins Curtis to talk about how we talk. In a wide ranging, vulnerable, and candid conversation, Nancy shares about topics like why she doesn’t personally find the “fight cancer” language helpful (even if it might be helpful for others); why people are uncomfortable talking about serious illness; how cancer can be both a horrible and beautiful experience at the same time; and more gems. The After Party Conference LIVE! on 4/19/24 in Washington DC - ****** by Susan Sontag (USC Study) by Curtis Chang
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Escaping the media echo chamber (with David French)
02/17/2024
Escaping the media echo chamber (with David French)
Repeated studies show that the current media landscape is worsening polarization and weakening our ability to grasp truth. How do we escape getting trapped in our own “bespoke realities?” This Good Faith episode draws on a recent webinar led by Curtis and David French where they address how Christians can adopt better information habits. by David French (in the New York Times)
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Why is there so much poverty in America? (with Matthew Desmond)
02/10/2024
Why is there so much poverty in America? (with Matthew Desmond)
How are Christians supposed to think, feel, and act as they walk by a homeless person? As they drive through an impoverished neighborhood and pass by its residents? Our reactions will be strongly influenced by how we answer the question, “Why? Why are these people poor?” To wrestle with this question, Curtis is joined by the leading scholar on American poverty today, Matthew Desmond, author of Poverty, by America. Together, they explore why most Americans are missing the full answer – and the special responsibility of Christians to live out the Biblical answer. We want to hear from you and we may reach out to you to be featured in our Campfire Stories! by Matthew Desmond by Matthew Desmond (from World Vision)
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Will Western culture hunger for God more than we realize? (with Andy Crouch)
02/03/2024
Will Western culture hunger for God more than we realize? (with Andy Crouch)
The dominant narrative is that Western culture is headed for ever greater levels of atheism, agnosticism, or at least departure from belief in the Christian God. Andy Crouch returns from his sabbatical to question this narrative. He points out that the dominant secular worldview of the West - deterministic, rationalistic, and reductionist - is starting to run on empty. Can this lead to a greater hunger for the Christian God? Curtis and Andy examine what Christians would need to do to meet this hunger, including reexamining our own understanding of the Gospel itself. by Ian McGilchrist by Michael J. Buckley by Colin Gunton
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The moral aftershocks of Gaza (with David French)
01/27/2024
The moral aftershocks of Gaza (with David French)
The ongoing war in Gaza has sent out reverberations in the political, military, and economic spheres. But what about the moral sphere? Curtis is joined by “founding friend” David French to examine the moral aftershocks of Gaza in two disparate spheres: the moral practice of war and the moral practice of free speech at universities. We examine why Christians should care about both spheres, and also uncover the surprising theological similarities between them. Please - a Good Faith episode with Rabbi Michael Holzman and David French
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Where is AI taking us spiritually? (with James Cham and John Kim)
01/20/2024
Where is AI taking us spiritually? (with James Cham and John Kim)
AI feels like a tornado that has hit society: unpredictable, powerful, and out of our control. How do we as Christians respond to this force in the world? Curtis is joined by two friends who live and work at the intersection of AI and spiritual reflection: James Cham of Bloomberg Beta and John Kim of the Karamaan Group. Together, the three friends explore how Christians might flip the question from “Where is AI taking us spiritually?” to “Where should Christians take AI?” by John Kim (on Medium) (conversation on Bloomberg) (YouTube video from the World Science Festival) (a BioLogos podcast) (Good Faith episode with Andy Crouch)
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How evangelicalism got hijacked (with Tim Alberta)
01/13/2024
How evangelicalism got hijacked (with Tim Alberta)
American evangelicalism’s pull towards the far right is felt by anyone that comes into contact with the movement. But how did this happen? Who did the pulling? What were the motivations? What were the pre-conditions that made evangelicals so susceptible? With his latest book, The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism, Tim Alberta has written the definitive book that answers these questions. He and Curtis discuss the key types of individuals, the organizations, the strategies, and especially the hidden incentive structures that lie beneath the headlines. by Tim Alberta (Harper)
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Good Faith Classic: How I became an “adult” on January 6th
01/06/2024
Good Faith Classic: How I became an “adult” on January 6th
This episode drops on the three year anniversary of the Capitol insurrection of January 6 2021. The event revealed the dangerous nature of Trumpism and political violence. We should be worried about what happened, even today. But the event also presented an opportunity: it contained an invitation from God for all of us, one that applies to our role in our own corner of the world, even today. In this Good Faith Classic (from also two years ago exactly), Curtis and “founding friend” David French unpack this invitation for everyone.
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Humility and Hope in 2023 (with David French)
12/16/2023
Humility and Hope in 2023 (with David French)
“Founding friend” David French returns to wrap up 2023 (we’re taking a break for a few weeks). He and Curtis look back at the year through the lens of two core spiritual values of The After Party: Humility and Hope. We discuss what happened in 2023 that grew our humility, reminding us of the need to recognize complexity, to grow, and to learn. We also talked up the signs of hope from the year, including many that are hidden or counter-intuitive. (6/17/2023) by David French (NYT 7/16/2023) by Tim Alberta by Russell Moore
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Why are evangelicals missing in action on climate change? (with Bruce Huber)
12/09/2023
Why are evangelicals missing in action on climate change? (with Bruce Huber)
Climate change is a major long term threat to our world. Yet, we find very few evangelical Christians voices or mass engagement on this issue. Why this disturbing gap? To explore this question, Curtis is joined by Bruce Huber who teaches about environmental law as Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame. Together, they explore the deep reasons why many Christians struggle even to make proper sense of climate change. -- Pope Francis's 2015 encyclical on "Care for our Common Home" The of Jonathan Haidt -- see especially "The Righteous Mind" The of the IPCC -- the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which acts as a sponsor of and clearinghouse for climate research An accessible about carbon taxation, "The Case for a Carbon Tax," by Prof. Shi-Ling Hsu of Florida State University
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What’s happening at the border? Part 2 (with Michael Debruhl)
12/02/2023
What’s happening at the border? Part 2 (with Michael Debruhl)
The wave of immigrants and refugees at the border has filled the news, and will most likely influence the next presidential elections. But what’s really happening there? And how should American Christians make sense of this issue? In the second of two episodes on this topic, Curtis is joined by someone with a unique perspective, Michael Debruhl. Michael is a former agent and executive in the Border Patrol who felt disturbed at the widespread misconceptions on the topic. Upon leaving the agency, he started volunteering at the Sacred Heart Shelter, one of the main church based programs receiving migrants at the border. Helpful resources on immigration and the border Accurate information from (a non-partisan effort at sensible and compassionate reform of our national approach to immigration) from The Pew Research Center from PBS NewsHour (the main federal agency overseeing the border) (Casa del Sagrado Corazón) - the shelter directed by guest Michael Debruhl
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What’s happening at the border? Part 1 (with Bri Stensrud)
11/26/2023
What’s happening at the border? Part 1 (with Bri Stensrud)
The wave of immigrants and refugees at the border has filled the news, and will most likely influence the next presidential elections. But what’s really happening there? And how should American Christians make sense of this issue? In the first of two episodes on this topic, Curtis is joined by Bri Stensrud, Director of Women of Welcome, a ministry that helps American evangelical women understand what’s happening at the border in light of Scripture and current reality. They talk about why Christians should care about the border, the common misconceptions in play, and how opening our minds and hearts on this topic changes us. To make an end of year contribution to the Good Faith podcast, donate online here (). For major gifts, donor advised funds, or family foundations, please email us at . Order Bri's latest book: Learn more about Free & from Women of Welcome Join the Women of Welcome community online: & Watch the documentary More on More on Follow On the forced separation policy:
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How to Know a Person (with David Brooks)
11/18/2023
How to Know a Person (with David Brooks)
We’re living in a cultural moment where so many people feel unseen and unheard. What if the answer is not some big government or nonprofit program, but rather something as intimate as this: a meaningful conversation. David Brooks joins the podcast to talk about his new book, “How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen.” He and Curtis discuss the art of connecting with another person, and why our society so deeply needs to revive the skills involved. To make an end of year contribution to the Good Faith podcast, donate online here (). For major gifts, donor advised funds, or family foundations, please email us at [email protected]. by David Brooks
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How Gaza is affecting American Jews and Christians (with Rabbi Michael Holzman and David French)
11/11/2023
How Gaza is affecting American Jews and Christians (with Rabbi Michael Holzman and David French)
The Gaza crisis has sent out shock waves that extend to America. In this podcast, we explore how different communities and institutions in the US are responding. Rabbi Michael Holzman and David French join Curtis to examine what is happening for Jewish American communities, college campuses, the progressive movement, American evangelicals, and wider public support for Israel. by David French (NYT) by David French (NYT) “ by Gal Beckerman (The Atlantic) by Simon Sebag Montefiore (The Atlantic)
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Why youth leave the church - and what can be done (with Kara Powell)
11/04/2023
Why youth leave the church - and what can be done (with Kara Powell)
American youth who grew up in Christian families are leaving the church at a massive pace. Curtis talks with Kara Powell, , about the complex reasons for this trend - and what can be done. They discuss why any understanding of the causes – and therefore the necessary response – must include parents and churches doing the hard work of self-examination and self-transformation. To make an end of year contribution to the Good Faith podcast, donate online here (). For major gifts, donor advised funds, or family foundations, please email us at [email protected]. Kara’s that seeks to combine efforts to reach the next generation For resources on preventing and responding to suspected abuse in youth ministry, see .
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Can political controversy actually serve the local church? (with Chuck Mingo)
10/28/2023
Can political controversy actually serve the local church? (with Chuck Mingo)
Some churches seek to exploit political controversy for self-serving ends. But many more churches instinctively avoid controversy, and steer away from topics that may reveal differences. In this episode, Curtis is joined by Chuck Mingo to explore a different route: treating this upcoming election season as an opportunity for spiritual growth. They make the case that the same spiritual muscles that get built in politics apply also to marriages, parenting, employment and other areas of discipleship. Curtis and Chuck also talk about the practicalities involved: what should happen on Sunday morning (and what shouldn’t); the top rookie mistakes made when first trying to engage in politics; how the posture of the “wounded healer” is necessary for pastors; and much more. Find out more about the . Pre-order Chuck’s book (written with Troy Jackson),
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How anxious institutions affect us all (with Yuval Levin)
10/21/2023
How anxious institutions affect us all (with Yuval Levin)
In the diagnosis of the epidemic of anxiety sweeping through society, the examination has tended to focus on individual risk factors or macro-social trends (like social media and smartphone adoption among teens). But this misses something going on at the intermediary level between individuals and mass society: the state of the institutions that shape so much of our daily life. Curtis is joined by renowned scholar Yuval Levin in exploring the concept of “the anxious institution.” They make the case that institutions both externally cause and internally experience anxiety in fascinating and important ways.
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The Great Dechurching (with David French and Michael Graham)
10/14/2023
The Great Dechurching (with David French and Michael Graham)
In a wide ranging conversation, founding friend David French takes over the reins for Curtis Chang and discusses the new book, by Jim Davis, Michael Graham, and Ryan Burge. David and coauthor Graham discuss all the reasons for “the great dechurching” with a particular emphasis on the more surprising results, as well as the difficulty reversing the decline in church attendance. We want to hear your “Campfire Stories” about living out your good faith! Share your . by Jim Davis, Michael Graham, and Ryan Burge
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How to Relate to Those Who Still Support Trump (with Pete Wehner)
10/07/2023
How to Relate to Those Who Still Support Trump (with Pete Wehner)
It sure looks like Trump isn’t going away. Many of us around the Good Faith campfire oppose him deeply. But we have people in our lives – sometimes in fractured relationships – who are going to support Trump once again. How do we relate to those people – those who are also parents, relatives, friends, co-workers, and neighbors? To wrestle with this complicated question, Curtis is joined by Pete Wehner, Senior Fellow at the Trinity Forum and contributor to the New York Times and the Atlantic. We want to hear your stories of living out your “good faith!” Pete Wehner’s Check out resources to equip depolarizing conversations at
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Good Faith CLASSIC: College, God, and the Good Life (with Meghan Sullivan and David French)
10/02/2023
Good Faith CLASSIC: College, God, and the Good Life (with Meghan Sullivan and David French)
In this Good Faith Classic episode, Curtis and David talk with Meghan Sullivan, philosopher, teacher, and creator of the most popular class at the University of Notre Dame, “God and the Good Life.” As many of us send our kids off to college (or head off to college ourselves), Meghan helps us appreciate the role of education–and of philosophy in particular–in helping students take on the big questions of life. Show Notes: – –) – -We want to hear your stories of living out your “good faith!” Share with us at: https://redeemingbabel.org/campfire-stories/
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The Uses and Misuses of the Book of Revelation (with Tremper Longman III)
09/23/2023
The Uses and Misuses of the Book of Revelation (with Tremper Longman III)
Many Christians are tempted to just avoid the Book of Revelation. It can seem confusing and hard to read. Yet this avoidance can leave us vulnerable to the misuses of this part of Scripture, especially in making sense of our world. Here to help us is distinguished Biblical scholar, Tremper Longman III. Join us as we dive into the helpful - and unhelpful - ways to read the final culminating book of the Bible. We want to hear your stories of living out your “good faith!” Share with us at: https://redeemingbabel.org/campfire-stories/ by Tremper Longman III ” by Curtis Chang by Chris Davis by N.T. Wright by N.T. Wright by Peter S. Williamson by Brian J. Tabb : Join the Christian effort to rebuild high quality schools in war torn parts of the world. Join with other pastors and Christian leaders seeking a way out of our political division.
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