Harvard Divinity School

Episode 1 - Introducing Divinity Dialogues—a special edition podcast series from Harvard Divinity School that puts conversations on faith, purpose, and bearing witness at the center of today’s most pressing issues. Today, we hear from HDS alum Joshua Eaton, MDiv ’10, investigative journalist and one of this year’s Gomes Distinguished Alumni Honorees. Based in Washington, D.C., Joshua Eaton holds the powerful accountable and gives a voice to the vulnerable. He has worked with investigative teams at CQ Roll Call and ThinkProgress. In the interview, Eaton talks how spirituality has moved him in his career, what we can do to bring ethics and compassion back to leadership, and how to keep the vital work of storytelling alive in a world governed by the “hot take industrial complex.” Full transcript available on the HDS site: https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2021/06/04/investigative-journalist-joshua-eaton-hot-take-industrial-complex

A dialogue between CSWR director and HDS Professor Charles Stang and Tanya Luhrmann on her book, "How God Becomes Real." Tanya Marie Luhrmann is the Albert Ray Lang Professor at Stanford University, in the Stanford Anthropology Department (and Psychology, by courtesy). Her work focuses on local theory of mind and the world of the spirit: on voices, visions, and the presence of invisible others. She was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2003 and received a John Guggenheim Fellowship award in 2007. "How God Becomes Real" was published by Princeton University Press in 2020. Full transcript available: https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/news/2021/04/26/2021/video-how-god-becomes-real-kindling-presence-invisible-others

Todne Thomas, HDS Assistant Professor of African American Religions, discusses her recent publication, "Kincraft: The Making of Black Evangelical Sociality." Judith Casselberry (Bowdoin College) and Soong-Chan Rah (North Park University) served as respondents. Full transcription available: https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/news/2021/05/10/video-author-discussion-todne-thomas-kincraft-making-black-evangelical-sociality

This lecture focused on the Hindu view of life from the margins. While the “Hindu margin” is a fairly large heterogeneous group, this lecture laid the lens on the third gender, Kinnars (pejorative term hijṛā) and spiritual partners, categorized as “consorts.” Both these groups were discussed within the ritual praxis of “lived religions,” within the larger world of Śākta Tantra (Goddess esoteric traditions). Sravana Borkataky-Varma is a historian, educator, and social entrepreneur. As a historian, she studies Indian religions focusing on esoteric rituals and gender, particularly in Hinduism (Śākta Tantra). As an educator, she is currently working as a Lecturer at Harvard University’s Faculty of Divinity and at University of North Carolina-Wilmington, where she teaches introductory courses on World Religions and higher-level courses on Hinduism, Buddhism, Religion and Film, and History of Yoga. Full transcript available: https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/news/2021/04/27/hindu-margins-third-gender-and-women-spiritu

How do we face the harsh realities and the loss associated with climate change, while still finding joy in the natural wonder that surrounds us? Today, we're speaking with Terry Tempest Williams, activist, conservationist, Harvard Divinity School Writer in Residence, and author of numerous books, including the environmental literature classic, "Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place." In this episode, Terry talks about the spiritual implications of climate change, the class she's teaching at HDS, and how we can still find beauty despite the chaos that surrounds us.

Examining religion's role in past pandemics, the responsibility faith leaders have during a health crisis, and how religious practice has been changed by the Coronavirus. Full transcript: https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2021/03/12/podcast-religion-time-pandemic

This panel brought together Daan Keiman, spiritual caregiver and facilitator at a psilocybin retreat in the Netherlands, with Jamie Beachy, a MAPS MDMA Therapist and director of the Center for Contemplative Chaplaincy at Naropa University, in dialogue with Trace Haythorn of ACPE to explore their visions for psychedelic chaplaincy. What is the potential role of spiritual caregivers in providing support for people preparing for, undergoing, or integrating psychedelic experiences? What are the challenges in creating psychedelic education and training opportunities for chaplains and clergy? To what extent does the continually increasing access to psychedelics call on us to rethink, reshape, or expand conceptions of chaplaincy writ large? The panel was moderated by Rachael Petersen. Rachael is a visiting fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religion and the Psychedelics and Religion Program Director for the Riverstyx Foundation. Full video and transcript available: https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/news/2021/

A conversation with pastor, professor, and policy influencer Quardricos Driskell about whether Black History Month has taken on new significance in 2021. We also chat about avoiding complacency around racial justice issues now that the Trump presidency is over, how the Black Lives Matter movement can continue its momentum by working across generational divides, and why Democrats running for political office should talk more openly about their faith. Full transcript here: https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2021/02/12/what-black-history-month-2021-means-rising-spiritual-and-ethical-movement

The HDS Office of Development and External Relations was pleased to host "Virtual Voices of Divinity: Making Meaning in 2021 at the Crossroads of Business and Capitalism, Ethics, Faith, and Justice," on February 2, 2021. Featured speakers included: John P. Brown, MBA '74, MDiv '88, Practitioner in Residence in Religion, Business Ethics, and the Economic Order, HDS Katherine Collins, MTS '11, Head of Sustainable Investing, Putnam Investments Karim Hutson, MBA '03, MTS '08, Founder & Managing Member, Genesis Companies Al-Husein Madhany, MTS '01, Head of Global People Operations, Moveworks.ai. Full transcript available on the HDS website: https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2021/02/11/video-making-meaning-2021-crossroads-business-and-capitalism-ethics-faith-and-justice

The most influential religious historian of the twentieth century, Huston Smith, once referred to it as the "best-kept secret" in history. Did the ancient Greeks use drugs to find God? And did the earliest Christians inherit the same secret tradition? A profound knowledge of visionary plants, herbs, and fungi passed from one generation to the next, ever since the Stone Age? This discussion on Febrary 1, 2021, between CSWR Director Charles Stang and Brian Muraresku about his new book, The Immortality Key: The Secret History of the Religion with No Name, a groundbreaking dive into the role of psychedelics in the ancient Mediterranean world. Full transcript here: https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/news/2021/02/12/video-psychedelics-ancient-religion-no-name

In an October 2020 op-ed for the Christian Post, Joe Biden wrote: “My Catholic faith drilled into me a core truth—that every person on earth is equal in rights and dignity, because we are all beloved children of God.” As president, he continued, “These are the principles that will shape all that I do, and my faith will continue to serve as my anchor, as it has my entire life.” I’m Jonathan Beasley, and this is a special pop-up episode of the Harvard Religion Beat. Today, I’m chatting with E. J. Dionne, who many of you likely know as a journalist, author, and political commentator. He also teaches at Georgetown and here at Harvard and HDS. And just before the election he co-authored the report "A Time to Heal, A Time to Build," with Melissa Rogers for the Brookings Institution, where he is a senior fellow in Governance Studies. I wanted to speak with E. J. to get his insight into how Joe Biden’s Catholicism will shape the way he governs as president, and how his faith will serve as a road map for how his adm

Closing Muisc | “Grateful” by Hezekiah Walker Performed by Aric Flemming, MDiv ’19 Seasons of Light is hosted by Harvard Divinity School's Office of Religious and Spiritual Life under the direction of Christopher Hossfeld, Director of Music and Ritual, and Kerry A. Maloney, Chaplain and Director of Religious and Spiritual Life. The full video recording of Seasons of Light 2020 can be found on the HDS YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVuYb9d7tCc&t=587s TRANSCRIPT: I am Grateful for the things That you have done Yes, I’m grateful for the victories we’ve won I could go on and on and on About your works Because I’m grateful to praise you, Lord And flowing from my heart Are the issues of my heart It’s gratefulness

Benediction Mark D. Jordan, Richard Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Divinity Seasons of Light is hosted by Harvard Divinity School's Office of Religious and Spiritual Life under the direction of Christopher Hossfeld, Director of Music and Ritual, and Kerry A. Maloney, Chaplain and Director of Religious and Spiritual Life. The full video recording of Seasons of Light 2020 can be found on the HDS YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVuYb9d7tCc&t=587s TRANSCRIPT: God of ten thousand names and none, Author of words and songs and the silence from which they sound, Companion in all the changes of light, kindling or quenching: Tonight we need rest, healing, courage, clear-seeing, perhaps a little joy, hope—hope in abundance. Help us to believe again in the good we gather to do—even when we cannot gather. Show us how to keep pace with the mountains, which walk towards you no matter the winter. Bless us in each other’s faces. Bless us by living us.

“Light of a Clear Blue Morning” by Dolly Parton Julia Reimann, MDiv II and Margaret Hamm, MDiv II, vocals; Carolyn Beard, MDiv II, vocals and bass; Mary Perez, MDiv II, guitar; Madeline Levy, MTS II, fiddle; and Kate Hoeting, MTS II, banjo Seasons of Light is hosted by Harvard Divinity School's Office of Religious and Spiritual Life under the direction of Christopher Hossfeld, Director of Music and Ritual, and Kerry A. Maloney, Chaplain and Director of Religious and Spiritual Life. The full video recording of Seasons of Light 2020 can be found on the HDS YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVuYb9d7tCc&t=587s TRANSCRIPT: It’s been a long dark night And I’ve been a waitin’ for the morning It’s been a long hard fight But I can see a brand new day a dawning And I've been looking for the sunshine ’Cause I ain’t seen it in so long Everything’s gonna work out just fine Everything’s gonna be all right That's been all wrong 'Cause I can see the light of a clear blue morning I can see the l

Meditation | “Adoro te devote,” 13th-century Benedictine plainsong Tianyi Yuan, MTS I, bamboo flute Seasons of Light is hosted by Harvard Divinity School's Office of Religious and Spiritual Life under the direction of Christopher Hossfeld, Director of Music and Ritual, and Kerry A. Maloney, Chaplain and Director of Religious and Spiritual Life. The full video recording of Seasons of Light 2020 can be found on the HDS YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVuYb9d7tCc&t=587s

From the Hindu Tradition Read by Malini Srikrishna, MTS II Seasons of Light is hosted by Harvard Divinity School's Office of Religious and Spiritual Life under the direction of Christopher Hossfeld, Director of Music and Ritual, and Kerry A. Maloney, Chaplain and Director of Religious and Spiritual Life. The full video recording of Seasons of Light 2020 can be found on the HDS YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVuYb9d7tCc&t=587s TRANSCRIPT: The ancient Indian or Hindu traditions are passed down by grandmothers, grandfathers, their stories and just the spirit of our ancestors. So here is a prayer my grandmother taught me. The human body is the temple of God. To kindle the light of awareness within you is to experience true light. The sacred flame in your inner shrine is constantly burning—embrace it! The experience of unity is what will enable you to find the purpose of this body, of this temple. Every season can be a season of light when we recognize that th

From the Christian Tradition | 2 Corinthians 4:6-18, The Bible (NRSV) Read by Emmanuel Correa Vazquez, MDiv III Seasons of Light is hosted by Harvard Divinity School's Office of Religious and Spiritual Life under the direction of Christopher Hossfeld, Director of Music and Ritual, and Kerry A. Maloney, Chaplain and Director of Religious and Spiritual Life. The full video recording of Seasons of Light 2020 can be found on the HDS YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVuYb9d7tCc&t=587s TRANSCRIPT: For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying

Meditation | MUSIC: Xavier I. Sayeed, MTS I and Eilaf Farajallah, MTS I Five Prayers: A Pageant of Formative Sounds and Souls Seasons of Light is hosted by Harvard Divinity School's Office of Religious and Spiritual Life under the direction of Christopher Hossfeld, Director of Music and Ritual, and Kerry A. Maloney, Chaplain and Director of Religious and Spiritual The full video recording of Seasons of Light 2020 can be found on the HDS YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVuYb9d7tCc&t=587sLife.

From the Islamic Tradition | The Qur’an, Surah Nur, Chapter 24, Verse 34–35 Read by Reem Shaikh, MTS II Seasons of Light is hosted by Harvard Divinity School's Office of Religious and Spiritual Life under the direction of Christopher Hossfeld, Director of Music and Ritual, and Kerry A. Maloney, Chaplain and Director of Religious and Spiritual Life. The full video recording of Seasons of Light 2020 can be found on the HDS YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVuYb9d7tCc&t=587s TRANSCRIPT: وَلَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكُمْ ءَايَـٰتٍۢ مُّبَيِّنَـٰتٍۢ وَمَثَلًۭا مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوْا۟ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَمَوْعِظَةًۭ لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ۞ ٱللَّهُ نُورُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِۦ كَمِشْكَوٰةٍۢ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ۖ ٱلْمِصْبَاحُ فِى زُجَاجَةٍ ۖ ٱلزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌۭ دُرِّىٌّۭ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍۢ مُّبَـٰرَكَةٍۢ زَيْتُونَةٍۢ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍۢ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍۢ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِىٓءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌۭ ۚ نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍۢ ۗ يَهْدِى ٱللَّهُ لِنُورِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ

From the Tradition of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | Isaiah 60: 1-4; 18-20, The Holy Bible (King James Version) Read by Joe Sorensen, MDiv III Seasons of Light is hosted by Harvard Divinity School's Office of Religious and Spiritual Life under the direction of Christopher Hossfeld, Director of Music and Ritual, and Kerry A. Maloney, Chaplain and Director of Religious and Spiritual Life. The full video recording of Seasons of Light 2020 can be found on the HDS YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVuYb9d7tCc&t=587s TRANSCRIPT: Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall