Research On Religion » Practitioners

Doug Douma on Gordon Clark and a Christian Hiking Hostel

tonygill — Sun, 20 May 2018 08:00:33 +0000

We are back momentarily from our sporadic sabbatical and pleased to be joined by Rev. Douglas “Banzai” Douma, a licensed minister in the Reformed Presbyterian Church (Hanover Presbytery) and author of The Presbyterian Philosopher: The Authorized Biography of Gordon H. Clark. Our discussion this week focuses both on Doug’s work on Prof. Clark, but also his new endeavor to create a Christian hostel for hikers along the Appalachian Trail, thus we get an insight into both the scholarly and practitioner side of religion.

Our conversation begins with Doug’s background and how he went from being a Lutheran to a Reformed Presbyterian. His education took him in search of many different Christian philosophers and apologetic writers, which is where he stumbled across Gordon H. Clark, a member the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and a professor at Butler University. Doug illuminates us as to what made Gordon Clark such a fascinating person in 20th century American Christianity, focusing on his conflict with the Westminster Seminary and debates with Cornelius Van Til. Some of those controversies surrounded theological issues such as one’s understanding about the incomprehensibility of God, whereas other ones involved institutional concerns regarding whether the denomination should be dry (i.e., no alcohol) or not. Clark’s opposition to the use of alcohol stemmed from his desire to set high standards for the denomination so as to be leaders within Christianity. Doug also enlightens us as to why he finds Clark an interesting thinker, particularly with relation to his presuppositional apologetics.

Beyond his work on Gordon Clark, Doug and his wife Priscilla are in the early stages of setting up a ministry for hikers along the Appalachian Trail, a 2,186 mile trek up the mountainous spine of the eastern United States. Doug gives us some background on his love of the outdoors and how he came to settle in western North Carolina. We discuss the religious landscape of the region, once heavily settled by Scotts and Irish, but now predominately Baptist in its composition. Doug reveals what it is like to be preaching in a small, rural town of about 5,000 people and the challenges facing the Appalachian community. He then takes us through his plan to establish a Christian hiking hostel along the Appalachian Trail. While still in the early stages of raising money to purchase land and a building, Doug and Priscilla have nonetheless ministered to hikers along the trail. We discuss what that process is like and how receptive backcountry backpackers are to a Christian message. We cover the demographics and mindset of folks who can be found on the trail, and where he came up with his own trailname of “Banzai.” We finish our conversation by asking Doug what he has learned over the years and what messages he would take back to “18 year old Doug” if he could travel back in time. Recorded: May 18, 2018.

Doug’s personal blog.

The Presbyterian Philosopher: The Authorized Biography of Gordon H. Clark, by Douglas Douma.

The Selected Letters of Gordon H. Clark.

The Appalachian Trail.

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Andrew Hoffecker on Charles Hodge and Princeton Seminary.

Jeff Henig on Prison Ministry (Encore Presentation)

tonygill — Sun, 01 Apr 2018 17:03:41 +0000

Why would anybody ever want to become a prison chaplain? And what do those folks involved in prison ministry do? Jeff Henig, who recently was hired as a prison chaplain in Arkansas, discusses his background, the journey he took to become a prison minister, and the various challenges he faces in this line of work. This is part of our ongoing series to talk with practitioners, people who work in the spiritual trenches day-t0-day and often have insights into human behavior that scholars often overlook.

We begin with Jeff’s background. Interestingly, he uses the third person to talk about his life growing up the son of ’60s hippies and ending up in group homes and foster care. He also talks openly about his time in the US Marine Corps and how he was a rebel against authority, which is probably not the best thing for somebody in the military. Nonetheless, this background helped shaped who he is and helps him relate to many of the individuals he ministers to in prison. The story also moves through his conversion to Christianity in 1989 and how that changed his life. We follow him then through a series of jobs and, more importantly, into the world of a cappella singing. While seemingly unrelated to prison ministry, it was singing with a Christian a cappella group that brought him into his current career.

A good portion of the middle part of the interview is spent talking about what went on with his a cappella prison ministry. We talk about what a typical show would be like and the various constraints faced by the band. Jeff notes how enthusiastic inmates were to see folks “from the outside,” but that prison regulations limited the time that they could have with prisoners. He discusses how they would get their message across in between songs and with some short conversations after the performance. We also learn the difference between jail and prison at this point, and Jeff points out that the transitory nature of jail makes it more difficult to reach out to the folks as compared to prison where the inmates know they are there for a longer period and approach life behind bars with greater seriousness.

We then move along to discussing how he obtained his current position as a prison chaplain. We talk about the educational background he had, as well as “learning on the job” as a certified religious assistant (CRA). We talk about some of the different challenges prison ministers face, including attempts to “game the system” by inmates, as well as some of the heavy psychological toll that this can take on the pastor. Jeff shares a wonderful story about when he was significantly down and a number of the prisoners rallied around him, providing him with insight to how much of an impact he was having on these individuals. He also discusses some of the legal issues that need to be managed, including a new Supreme Court religious liberty ruling on facial hair. We finish with the three things Jeff has learned throughout his several decades of prison ministry. First, you need to relate to people as they are and not as you want them to be. Second, God doesn’t make trash. And finally, you have more impact on people than you might think. Good lessons for prison ministers and all of us as well. Recorded: April 3, 2015.

RELATED LINKS

First Day Music, Jeff’s a cappella group’s website.

Holt v Hobbs, Supreme Court case regarding religious facial hair.

Harding School of Theology.

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Byron Johnson on Religion & Delinquency.

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Jason Jewell on Why Christians Should Read the Great Books.

Jason Jewell on John Locke and Religious Toleration.

A list of episodes from practitioners.

Dirk Dalhausser & Kerry Jones on Building Churches

tonygill — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 09:00:48 +0000

Have you ever wanted to build a church? And by “building a church,” we’re talking about the physical building that houses the congregation. What factors go into deciding how large the building should be, what types of space should be included in the interior, and how many parking spaces need to be allotted for peak use? To answer these questions and more, we are joined by Dirk Dalhausser and Kerry Jones from Goff Companies, a national church planning, construction, and real estate business headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Mr. Dalhousser serves as a project architect and Rev. Jones is a director of church planning. Our conversation begins by getting a bit of background on our two guests and a brief history of Goff Companies. Tony then presents these gentlemen with his own plan to build a cute, little New England-style church and demands to get it up and running in a few weeks. Fortunately, both Dirk and Kerry know better and tell him to slow down and start with a preliminary consultation to develop a plan. Although our discussion here is a bit facetious, Kerry points out that it is not uncommon for pastors and boards of elders to come to their company with architectural plans already drawn up, and that these plans often are too ambitious either for the finances that the congregation has or the land that they intend to use.

Kerry and Dirk detail some of the first steps that a congregation has to go through in thinking about what the appropriate structure would be for their intended use. A conversation needs to be held as to what the congregation’s mission and top priorities are, and then an assessment of current use, growth trends, and the church’s “DNA” should be conducted. This latter analysis includes mapping out where congregants are coming from, what physical barriers are in the way of the planned site (e.g., a lake), and whether there are other demographic shifts in the area that would affect the size of the church’s membership. We note how sensitive a few miles or the need to drive around a lake can affect who attends a church. Our conversation covers a number of other features that go into the planning stage such as the visibility of the church in the community, how much land will be needed, what can realistically be built on that land, and various governmental regulations that need to be met. Many congregations that are breaking ground on a new site are often asked to help develop some of the infrastructure in the surrounding area (e.g., roads, sidewalks). Our guests bring up how the recent rise of “multi-site services,” linked by various communication technologies, are reshaping the design of churches, with a tendency towards building (or renting) more structures as compared to building megachurch building that can seat thousands of attendees.

We review a number of the important component parts that need to be considered in the building process in order to provided a balanced facility directed at the intended uses of the physical structure. The worship center (or sanctuary) is obviously a central feature of any church building, but how it is set up for audio-visual needs and attendance comes into play. Tony learns that at a distance of about 90 feet from the podium, there becomes a need to create stadium-style seating that allows those in the back to gain a better view. We also discuss semi-circle type seating that facilitates a “togetherness” feel to the services, as well as the various technology features that determine how the stage area is constructed. One of the key aspects of the seating design is to provide enough seats so that crowding doesn’t discourage people from attending, but not having too many seats such that the worship center seems “uncomfortably empty,” as Kerry calls it. The importance of a commons area is discussed. (After taping the interview, Dirk and Kerry mentioned that open commons areas tend to encourage new attendees who are not familiar with others to come in, whereas a small foyer can actually frighten guests and potential members away. The more open and easy to maneuver the commons area is, the more inviting it will be to newcomers.) We also talk about various other spaces such as educational areas and space that could be used for other activities during the week, including things that might be open to the community at large (such as places to host meetings or play basketball). Parking is another major concern that is often overlooked and Dirk notes that while many municipalities require churches to have one parking space for every 3-4 seats, a church that has several other activities going on may need to think about a 1:1 ratio. The timing of services also becomes critical for ensuring that traffic flow doesn’t become a problem that could chase people away. Tony raises some questions about tax liabilities and the parsonage (pastor’s house) and how that all factors in to the land use.

We finish off the interview with some discussion on trends within the industry. Both guests note the movement towards less “symbology” on the physical building. This is not only intended to draw in the unchurched who might be scared off by lots of religious accoutrements, but sometimes the financers providing the funds for the building want a structure that could be repurposed and sold easily should the congregation move out. Both Dirk and Kerry talk a bit about some of their favorite projects and the joy the receive from helping a church meet its goals and then later returning to see how the space has suited their needs. Both see this not only as a business, but as a calling to serve God by helping others missionize in creative ways. They finish with some of their reflections on what they have learned over the decades and what they would have told their younger selves if they had the opportunity to travel back in time. Recorded: February 9, 2018.

A list and photos of sample projects that Goff Companies has completed in recent years.

Healthy Church CFO, an LLC run by Kerry Jones.

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Dave Travis on Megachurch Myths.

Warren Bird on Church Leadership Teams.

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Russ Roberts and Anthony Gill on Religion and Religious Liberty (an EconTalk simulcast).

Jeff Rose on Street Preaching (Encore Presentation)

tonygill — Sun, 04 Feb 2018 09:00:12 +0000

What would you do if you were a street preacher and someone poured beer on your head, blew smoke in your face, and threatened you with a knife? Jeff Rose, founder of JeremiahCry Ministries with his wife Pearl, has had that experience and he reveals his response in this fascinating interview that covers Jeff’s path to the street preaching profession and what it takes to be a street preacher. Tony starts out by asking if Jeff if he is crazy. It is not an uncommon question that folks who pass street preachers cannot help but ask. Jeff provides a remarkably insightful answer to this question revealing that he has asked himself this question on more than one occasion, but then explains what keeps him going. We then review Jeff’s life growing up, his career as a personal fitness trainer and gym owner, and what led him to pick up the cause of the Gospel. The journey is one that takes him from a small Pentecostal church to a large megachurch and then back to a smaller community where he connects with several other individuals that propel him down the road to street preaching. As an aside we chat about what Jeff didn’t like about megachurches, a theme that connects with some of our earlier podcasts. Jeff then describes how he found himself engaged in a life of street preaching after attending seminary and moving to Scotland. The last portion of our interview tackles some of what occurs in the life of a street preacher, including thinking about what venues will be most attractive, how to deal with crowds, the funniest moment he encountered, as well as the most dangerous. Jeff finishes by revealing his optimistic attitude towards the spiritual life of American and the United Kingdom. Recorded December 1, 2011.

RELATED LINKS

JeremiahCry Ministries (includes videos and audio of street preaching).

Jeff Rose preaching at Staten Island Ferry Station (YouTube video).

Paul Washer, Jeff Rose, and Jeff Gordon Discuss Public Preaching (YouTube video).

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Margaret Taylor-Ulizio on Being a Canon Lawyer

tonygill — Sun, 06 Aug 2017 08:00:35 +0000

If the Catholic Church maintains a Code of Canon Law, one would assume that there are canon lawyers to mediate disputes that fall within the realm of that form of religious jurisprudence. It just so happens that canon lawyers do exist and we were to track down and invite Dr. Margaret Taylor-Ulizio – founder/principal of the Canon Law Advocacy and Mediation Services and part-time instructor at Georgian Court University – to discuss her career path and what canon lawyers do. After a quick introduction about what canon law is, we trace Dr. Taylor-Ulizio’s career path from an undergraduate student interested in theology at Duquesne University to her successful pursuit of a doctorate in systematic theology and ecclesiology at Marquette University. Following this, we learn that Catholic University of America is the only school in the U.S. that trains canon lawyers for the Catholic Church. Following a rigorous program of courses on canon law, along with some training in secular law, Margaret was able to take her exams and enter into the world of canon lawyering. She gives an overview of the profession and outlines what falls within the scope of canon law. We also cover how changes to the Code of Canon Law have been made over time, including recent revisions that were a response to the increasing involvement of the laity following Vatican Council II. Dr. Taylor-Ulizio then notes that most of her cases have involved marriage nullity. We spend time discussing what an annulment entails and some of the trickier aspects of these cases, including the differences between defect in consent and defect in exchange. We finish off with her reflection upon her theological and legal training and how she views the world differently today. Recorded: July 27, 2017.

Canon Law Society for America.

Code of Canon Law.

“Inside Katy Perry’s Real-Estate Soap Opera: Why Nuns and the Catholic Church Are Battling Over Her Dream L.A. Property,” in Billboard magazine.

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Marion Larson on Bubbles, Bridges, and Multifaith Engagement

tonygill — Sun, 26 Feb 2017 09:00:14 +0000

Are Christian students and faculty on private religious colleges contained in a bubble? If so, what can they do to engage an increasingly pluralistic religious society? Prof. Marion Larson, professor and chair of the English Department at Bethel University, answers these questions and presents a number of different strategies for engaging people of different faiths based upon her new book From Bubble to Bridge, co-authored with her Bethel colleague, Prof. Sara Shady. We begin the conversation by exploring where the idea for this book came from. Dr. Larson talks about her interest in viewing teaching through the lens of “hospitality,” a concept that becomes central to also engaging people of different faith traditions. We then discuss the concept of a “bubble,” and why many Christian students attending private religious colleges could often be seen as existing within such an enclosed environment. Marion does not consider a bubble to be entirely bad, and we discuss how religious leaders and parents are often afraid of seeing their children lose their religious traditions in a multicultural world. Bubbles can be protective, but they also can be limiting, and Prof. Larson seeks methods of trying to negotiate these competing tendencies. Our discussion also brings up the issue of whether religious faith should be kept out of the public square as a means of ameliorating conflict, but Prof. Larson disagrees with this type of assessment, noting that one’s faith is to be lived publicly. We discuss various notions of engaging people of different faiths, including tolerance, inclusion, dwelling, and “sending.” Much of this is premised on Profs. Larson and Shady’s concept of “hospitality,” which in turn is greatly informed by Miroslav Wolf’s notion of “embracing arms.” Prof. Larson discusses the importance of three virtues in interfaith engagement: receptive humility; reflective commitment; and imaginative empathy. Throughout the conversation, Marion discusses case studies of actual individuals who have lived out an interfaith engagement as a means of illustrating a number of the theoretical points she is making. She also talks about Sara and her work with Interfaith Youth Corps, a Chicago-based organization founded by Eboo Patel. We also explore the tension between inclusivity and the desire to hang out with our own tight-knit homogenous groups, and whether or not there is Christian privilege at work in US society. Marion finishes with some reflections about what she and Prof. Shady learned throughout the process of conceptualizing, researching, and writing this book. Recorded: February 10, 2017.

Prof. Sara Shady’s bio at Bethel University.

From Bubble to Bridge: Educating Christians for a Multifaith World, by Marion Larson and Sara Shady.

Interfaith Youth Corps.

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Kelsey Dallas on Religious Journalism

tonygill — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 09:00:36 +0000

In a world where the non-affiliated are on the rise, religious journalism is still alive, well, and adapting to a changing media environment. To discuss the world of “faith-driven stories,” we are joined by Kelsey Dallas, a regular journalist for the Deseret News who has written over 600 news articles of varying length and depth about the world of faithful. We begin the discussion with how a kid from a small town in Illinois makes it to the University of Iowa, on to graduate school at Yale University, and then lands a job as a religion beat reporter in Utah. Ms. Dallas shares her religious upbringing and intellectual experience at Yale, including taking a class from the famed-journalist Bob Woodward, and how she was able to bring together her three great passions — writing, reading, and religion. She also explains her membership in the Religion News Association and how important that organization has been in helping to link journalists and columnists who focus on religious news. This draws us into a discussion about where the topic of religion is in today’s mainstream media. Kelsey then explains the difference between news stories about religion and faith-driven stories, the latter which are based less on changes in major institutions (e.g., a new appointment of a Catholic bishop) and more about personal stories about how people live their daily lives. Throughout the podcast, Kelsey shares a number of her favorite, most interesting, and oddest stories. The latter includes a piece on how religions would react to the discovery of life on other planets (see link below). We talk about the prominence that stories on religious liberty have taken over the past few years with events such as the Hobby Lobby Supreme Court case and Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act controversy. Ms. Dallas also shares her insights on being a journalist attending the services of different faith traditions, including one where she visited an Islamic mosque and was moved to the women’s section during the formal prayers. Our conversation also covers football, both prayer circles after NFL games and the fantasy version. Kelsey finishes off with some personal reflections on what she has learned over the span of the past few years and reaffirms for Tony the importance of ice cream. Recorded: February 10, 2017.

RELATED LINKS

Kelsey Dallas’s news feed at Deseret News.

Kelsey Dallas on Twitter.

Religion News Association.

“How Would Religions React to the Discovery of Life on Other Planets?” by Kelsey Dallas (Deseret News

“Taking a Knee: Professional Football and Its Mysterious Postgame Prayer,” by Kelsey Dallas (Deseret News).

“How Religious Pilgrimages Feed Mental, Physical, and Spiritual Health” by Kelsey Dallas (Deseret News).

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Jeremy Lott on Mormons, Pope Francis, and Ugly Churches.

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Karen Elliott House on Journalism and Saudi Arabia.

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Michael Cromartie on Religion, the Media, and Think Tanks.

Luis Bolce on the Media and Anti-Fundamentalism.

Michael Boone’s Spiritual 40 Day Road Trip

tonygill — Sun, 04 Sep 2016 08:00:16 +0000

Imagine you go into atrial fibrillation and the doctors tell you that they will be back in a few minutes to “put the paddles on you” after the anesthesia takes effect. It will likely be okay, but something might go wrong. What goes through your mind during those two or three minutes? For Michael Boone, founder of MWBoone & Associates (now Boone Wealth Advisors, LLC), he started thinking “motorcycle road trip through the Western United States,” of course! Fortunately for our podcast, Michael came through the paddles just fine and after a few years of getting around to it, he took off into the “wilderness” for 40 days on a spiritual journey. He recounts the motivations for, experiences of, and lessons from this journey. We start with some discussion about his spiritual and professional background, and what it is like to be a devout Christian in the rough-and-tumble world of financial consulting. Adam Smith makes an appearance in our chat, as does Matthew (the guy from the New Testament). Michael then talks about his “moment of insight” lying on the hospital gurney and how this helped him to reshuffle his priorities. Mike explains why forty days was chosen for the trip, noting its religious significance in both the Old and New Testaments. And then it is off down the driveway on his motorcycle. He notes that he gave himself permission to fail — notably come back home at any time — but he never did turn around for the duration of the trip. He started with no reservations (literally … no hotel reservations) and just went where the spirit (Spirit) took him, taking life as it came to him. We meet a couple of characters, including Maria who he ended up helping out of the wilderness, and one of his friends to was undergoing a heart transplant as Mike’s trip came to a close. This odyssey was literally and figuratively a journey of the heart. Our discussion also entails an epiphany Tony has about how barstools are arranged. Certain themes of the trip are discussed, including the importance of “letting go,” discomfort, freedom, and (perhaps most importantly) Sabbath. Mike notes that Sabbath is not just about relaxing, but is really about “stopping,” which can be uncomfortable. We discuss some of the lessons other folks might pull from Mike’s experiences and he gives us some indication of what the future holds after learning new lessons. Recorded: August 16, 2016.

RELATED LINKS

Michael Boone’s bio at MWBoone & Associates, LLC (Boone Wealth Advisors, LLC).

On the Road, by Jack Kerouac (mentioned in podcast).

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Chris Scheitle’s Religious Road Trip.

Dan Stiles on Cowboy Churches.

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Martin Barrett on Sozo Friends & For-Profit Charities

tonygill — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 08:00:39 +0000

It is common for most people to attribute “non-profit status” to a faith-based organization that is dedicated to charitable giving. But can such an endeavor be run as a for-profit enterprise? This week we visit with Martin Barrett, co-founder of Sozo Friends, a small wine-bottling business that seeks to “facilitate community and funding around friends who meet basic needs.” By teaming with restaurants, auto dealers, realtors, mortgage companies, and other businesses, Sozo Friends is able to provide funding for such organizations as Emergency Food Network, Rescue Freedom, and Olive Crest (to name just a few). Mr. Barrett details his own upbringing in a faith-filled home, along with his participation in, and work for, Young Life. It is with this youth-oriented organization that he developed the sense that religion needs to be relational, building community beyond the boundaries of the walls of the local church. He then discusses the origins of Sozo Friends, conceived during a conversation over wine with the company’s other co-founder Monte Regier who had returned from a several year stint serving in Liberia with Mercy Ships. Martin details the various trials and errors of setting up a business model centered around wine and community, using focus groups with young professionals to explore new ways to engage people in charitable giving. Their first attempt at “Party in a Box” proved to be unsuccessful, but both Martin and Monte forged ahead with other ideas and settled upon using sales of premium wine at restaurants to help fund various charities. Canlis, a Seattle restaurant, was the first to jump on board. Martin notes how the idea is first to sell a high-quality product and then follow up with the story of how each bottle sold (or glass poured) helps an orphan or other person in need around the world. This marketing is atypical of other charities that tend to lead with the story and then sell the product. We then discuss how Sozo Friends has expanded into the area of chocolate and coffee, as well as expanding the business model beyond restaurants to other businesses — e.g., auto dealers — who give bottles of wine in a gift basket following the purchase of a vehicle. Martin notes that when someone who just bought a car receives this gift and learns that the proceeds of the sale go to a charity selected by the auto dealer, a bond of trust and community is created that is beneficial to all parties involved — the customer, the auto dealer, and the organization running the charity. Mr. Barrett finishes off explaining his business philosophy of how building relations and trust are central to a well-functioning marketplace and why he runs his business as a for-profit, rather than a non-profit. Recorded with the gracious assistance of Willows Lodge (which partners with Sozo Friends) in Woodinville, WA on June 15, 2016.

(Note: This interview, while not “social scientific” in nature, per se, is part of our occasional series on “practitioners” who live their faith at ground level. Talking with these folks about how they actual do the things they do is part of the social scientific process according to this podcast’s host.)

Monte Regier & Martin Barrett on how Sozo Friends began (YouTube video).

Martin Barrett on the Sozo experience (YouTube video).

“Sozo Friends Pairs Premium Wines with Fighting Hunger,” by Glenn Drosendahl (article in Puget Sound Business Journal).

“Sozo Wines: Let’s Chug-a-Lug for Charity,” by Leslie Kelly (article in the Seattle Weekly).

Young Life (mentioned in podcast).

Mercy Ships, Olive Crest, and Rescue:Freedom (charities mentioned on the podcast).

Willows Lodge – Woodinville, WA (gracious host of the interview).

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David Wills on Religious Charity and Taxes.

Proeschold-Bell and Adams on Clergy Mental Health

tonygill — Sun, 22 May 2016 08:00:53 +0000

Who ministers to the clergy when a pastor needs emotional and spiritual support? While the ministers are often seen as individuals who offer counseling to parishioners, we often forget that members of the cloth are people who also need psychological support. To address this issue, we invite two researchers who have been investigating factors related to both positive and negative mental health outcomes for members of the United Methodist clergy in North Carolina. Dr. Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell (associate research professor of global health at Duke University) is the lead investigator of the Clergy Health Initiative and Dr. Chris Adams (associate professor of psychology at Azusa Pacific Seminary) is a co-researcher on that project and someone who has extensive experience counseling missionaries and seminarians. We begin our back-to-back interviews with Dr. Proeschold-Bell who emphasizes how important it is not only to pay attention to negative mental health outcomes, but also the predictors of positive mental health. Rae Jean discusses the difference between emotions and moods, the particular stressors that clergy find themselves susceptible to, and how having a supportive congregation and network of personal relationships can determine levels of depression or burn-out amongst the clergy. We then talk with Dr. Adams about what he took away from the research and how he has applied it to his role as a counselor to members of the clergy. Chris discusses a number of specific cases where a supportive congregation can make a big difference in the psychological health of a pastor. Recorded: May 11, 2016.

Dr. Chris Adam’s bio at Azusa Pacific University (link undergoing redesign).

Duke Divinity School’s Clergy Health Initiative.

Clergy Health Initiative Summary Report (2014).

“Study Finds Unique Positive Mental Health Factors for Clergy,” DGHI news release.

“The Glory of God Is a Human Being Fully Alive: Predictors of Positive versus Negative Mental Health Among Clergy,” be Proeschold-Bell et al., in Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion (possible paywall or requires institutional affiliation).

Gregory Popcak on Religion, Psychology, and the Seven Longings.

Rob Moll on Religion and the Brain.

Bradley Wright on SoulPulse.

Justin Barrett on the Naturalness of Religious Belief.