Shows / Religion Unmuted
Religion Unmuted
Religion Unmuted is the podcast where we explore how religion is lived. We aim to amplify voices that are not often heard in public conversations about religion. Join us for research-driven dialogue as we look for religion in unexpected spaces—such as the workplace, the lab, or on the campaign trail—and in everyday life.
Episodes
- Religion Unmuted
Reimagining Faith Formation for Younger Generations
As trust in traditional institutions continues to decline, faith communities will need to adapt to meet young people where they are. Host Todd Ferguson sits…
- Religion Unmuted
Law, Leverage, and the New Culture Wars: Redefining Religious Freedom
In this episode of Religion Unmuted, host Elaine Howard Ecklund sits down with sociologist Orit Avishai to discuss her latest research on political…
- Religion Unmuted
RE-RELEASE: Called to Lead
This episode of Religion Unmuted originally aired on June 25, 2021. --- When women do not feel called to lead within their faith community, what is lost? The…
- Religion Unmuted
RE-RELEASE: The Spiritual Harm of Family Separation
This episode of Religion Unmuted originally aired on April 30, 2021. --- In 2017 the immigration policies known as "zero tolerance" and "family separation"…
- Religion Unmuted
The Long Game: Finding Common Ground Through the Practice of Disagreement
In this episode, host Todd Ferguson sits down with legal scholar John Inazu to discuss navigating deep disagreements within a pluralistic society. Drawing from…
- Religion Unmuted
Beyond Common Ground: Embodying Covenantal Pluralism
What can a "hot-headed New Yorker" learn from 10 years in Oman? Justin Meyers of the Al Amana Centre joins Religion Unmuted to discuss the power of shway…
- Religion Unmuted
The Religion of Whiteness, Christian Nationalism, and the Cosmic Battle for the Soul of America
Is "whiteness" being worshiped in American churches? Sociologist Michael Emerson joins this episode to break down the "religion of whiteness," which he defines…
- Religion Unmuted
More Than Money: Why Taxes Are a Moral Act
Season 4 launches with the surprising intersection of religion, politics, and the morality of taxation. Sociologist Ruth Braunstein joins this episode to…
- Religion Unmuted
Spiritual Care in the Hospital Setting
In this episode of Religion Unmuted, host Todd Ferguson speaks with Stacy Auld, Vice President of Spiritual Care and Values Integration for Houston Methodist…
- Religion Unmuted
Principled Pluralism
Tariq Modood is Professor of Sociology, Politics, and Public Policy at the University of Bristol and recipient of the Boniuk Institute's 2025 Senior Scholar…
- Religion Unmuted
What's Trending: Gen Z's Political and Religious Engagement
In this episode we dive into key trends surrounding Generation Z with Melissa Deckman, CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute, including Gen Z's high…
- Religion Unmuted
Work: What's Religion Got To Do With It?
For many Americans, a significant portion of waking hours are spent at work. In this episode, host Rachel Schneider is joined by three guests to discuss their…
- Religion Unmuted
When Diversity Efforts Fail
In Who Pays for Diversity? Why Programs Fail at Racial Equity and What to Do about It, sociologist Oneya Fennell Okuwobi examines how well-meaning diversity…
- Religion Unmuted
Digital Faith and Identity
Digital technologies are profoundly shaping personal identity, community, and spiritual life. Our guest Felicia Song has written about these issues in her…
- Religion Unmuted
Rejecting Neutrality in Interfaith Work
In this episode of Religion Unmuted, John Barton and host Elaine Howard Ecklund discuss the urgency of interreligious peacebuilding and how religion can serve…
- Religion Unmuted
Faith, Politics, and the Power of Embracing Loss
Consultant, professor, author, and former pastor Curtis Chang joins Religion Unmuted to discuss the dangers of partisan idolatry and why he believes Christians…
- Religion Unmuted
The "Religious Imaginary" and American Politics: From Reagan to Trump
In this episode of Religion Unmuted, Diane Winston discusses the intersection of religion, media, and politics, focusing on how the media shaped the…
- Religion Unmuted
Lived Religion and the Enduring Legacy of HBCUs
Marla Frederick, Dean of Harvard Divinity School, and countless others owe their education--and much more--to Historically Black Colleges and Universities…
- Religion Unmuted
Unclaimed Doesn't Mean Unmourned
Bringing her journalistic eye to a sociological problem, Pamela Prickett gives listeners insight into a growing American issue: thousands of bodies are going…
- Religion Unmuted
Season 3 Teaser
The Religion Unmuted season 3 hosts, Elaine Howard Ecklund and Rachel Schneider, reveal the new, expanded vision for this season of the podcast. They also get…
- Religion Unmuted
A Historical Look at Patriarchy Within Christianity
In this episode, Religion Unmuted takes a historical look at Christianity and in particular how patriarchy was fundamental in the religion's founding. Our…
- Religion Unmuted
Gender, Religion, and Conservative Politics
The 2016 election shone a bright light on the entanglement of politics and faith for white evangelical Christians. Historian and author Kristin Kobes Du Mez…
- Religion Unmuted
Seeing the Whole Person and the Whole Pain
The work of a chaplain involves providing spiritual care to individuals outside of a congregational setting, work that can be difficult and varied. According…
- Religion Unmuted
Reproductive Justice and Religion
Elaina Ramsey provides a practitioner's perspective on reproductive justice and religion in this episode of Religion Unmuted. As director of Faith Choice Ohio…
- Religion Unmuted
Using the "F" Word in Religion: Bringing Feminism to the Conversation
Let's start with the definition: Xochitl Alvizo has not one but two favorite definitions of feminism. We ask the religious studies scholar first to define the…
- Religion Unmuted
The Power of Listening
Juanita Rasmus is an author, speaker, spiritual director, and co-pastor of a large Methodist church in downtown Houston. She joins Religion Unmuted to share…
- Religion Unmuted
Why Religion Is Still Relevant
Following the last two presidential elections, Rabbi Dr. Andrea Weiss solicited letters from religious studies scholars to speak directly to our nation's…
- Religion Unmuted
From Self-Care to Collective Care
Amid an unrelenting year, a year in which suffering has pervaded social life, "self-care" has become a buzz word. Ads and articles about self-care abound on…
- Religion Unmuted
Called to Lead
When women do not feel called to lead within their faith community, what is lost? The Rev. Christine Lee joins us to share her take on women in leadership…
- Religion Unmuted
In Pursuit of Multiple Truths
Where should we turn for the truth about immigration issues today? Whose stories should we be paying attention to? To discuss the possibility of multiple…
- Religion Unmuted
The Spiritual Harm of Family Separation
In 2017 the immigration policies known as "zero tolerance" and "family separation" were established, affecting thousands of men, women, and children trying to…
- Religion Unmuted
Communal Flourishing in Divided Times
How do we build community that is strong in identity while remaining porous and flexible? Can women and religion be assets to inclusive community building?…
- Religion Unmuted
A Society That Cares
Sister Norma Pimentel shares her personal journey—from spending her youth in both Mexico and the US (by traversing what she saw as a bridge, not a border); to…
- Religion Unmuted
Crossing Borders
Borders are everywhere—and not just physical borders, like that along the southwestern part of the United States which so often comes to mind. There are…
- Religion Unmuted
Thinking Beyond Elections
How does religion inspire and give hope to people in different communities who are working on the ground? In this episode, we want to push the conversation to…
- Religion Unmuted
Gearing Up for Tuesday
In this episode of Religion Unmuted, we bring back all three experts from previous episodes for a group conversation about pressing issues in the days leading…
- Religion Unmuted
Black Islam and Radical Love
'None of you truly has faith, until you love for your brother what you love for yourself.' Jamillah Karim grew up hearing this Muslim saying. In this episode…
- Religion Unmuted
A Male Perspective on Gender in Politics and Religion
Let's talk politics: Gender matters, but do other things matter more when it comes to predicting people's views on certain issues and how they will vote? Our…
- Religion Unmuted
Race, Religion, Gender, and the Presidential Election
There's no arena where the intersection between race, religion, and gender is more evident than it is in the contest for the presidential election. And that's…
- Religion Unmuted
Religion Unmuted teaser
Religion Unmuted is hosted by sociologists Pamela Prickett and Elaine Howard Ecklund. In this teaser episode, Prickett and Ecklund share why they created this…