What is like to be the only one who looks like you in a room? Ethnic loneliness is a pervasive feeling for ethnic minorities in the U.S. and in churches. In this conversation, Prasanta Verma talks me through:

• What ethnic loneliness is and what it looks like
• How the church has been complicit in perpetuating this loneliness and its entanglement with systemic racism
• What to do instead of forcing assimilation in the name of unity
• How individuals and churches can be effective friends, advocates, and allies in the fight against ethnic loneliness and systemic racism

Prasanta Verma was born under an Asian sun, raised in the Appalachian foothills, and resides in the upper Midwest. She is a writer, poet, and public health professional and her writing has been published in numerous places in print and online. Prasanta’s first book, titled Beyond Ethnic Loneliness, releases in April 2024.

Find Prasanta Online:

Website: https://prasantaverma.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/prasantaverma/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@prasantaverma

Newsletter: https://prasantaverma.substack.com/

Kate Boyd - Book | Newsletter | Instagram | Twitter

Taylor Swift's new album, The Tortured Poets Department, has been causing a stir due to its use of religious imagery and vocabulary. Is she mocking Christianity? Is she saying she's God? Or is there maybe something else going on here?

Join me and three other with joint cred as Swifties and theologians as we discuss ...

• the weird takes we've seen IRL and online
• the cracks in biblical interpretation that are illuminated by how people interpret Taylor's latest lyrics
• the religious images and vocabulary in 4 songs from TTPD
• what songs we think everyone should hear off the album

If you're looking for some help understanding the Christian images, Taylor's circumstances, and poetry (and what we learn about our theology in the process), this is the deep dive you've been looking for!

Kate Boyd - Book | Newsletter | Instagram | Twitter

What happens when we add context from literature, history, art, and architecture to our study of the Bible? It can actually illuminate tricky ideas and confusing cultural backdrops. Dr. Sandra Glahn joins me today to discuss why bringing these different sources together is important, how it affected her interpretation of 1 Timothy and provisions against women, and how Paul may have been nicer than misogynists want us to think.

Dr. Sandra Glahn is a seminary professor, the author of more than 20 books--the latest being NOBODY'S MOTHER: ARTEMIS OF THE EPHESIANS IN ANTIQUITY AND THE NEW TESTAMENT--and the co-founder of the Visual Museum of Women in Christianity (www.visualmuseum.gallery).

You can find her online at:

• www.sandraglahn.com
• X and Threads: @sandraglahn
• Insta: @Sandraglahnauthor

Kate Boyd - Book | Newsletter | Instagram | Twitter