Unaffiliated: The Search for Meaning

In Episode 7 of Unaffiliated, host Kathryn Elliott talks with a man named Ben von Bredow about “Friday night dinner,” a complex, tradition-laden gathering that he participated in for two years while studying in the United States. In the midst of ‘Turkish tea service,’ cordial smoke breaks, and post-dinner exchanges of poetry and song, Ben discovered a group of people committed to mutual self-expression and hospitality. Also in this episode, Ben explains why “strangers must be tamed,” (drawing...

In Episode 6 of Unaffiliated, host Kathryn Elliott talks with Rabbi Sara Luria, co-founder of the Beloved Community and mother of three. Sara leads and builds wide-open community by bringing the depth and history of the nourishing and cleansing rituals found within Judaism to people outside of traditional Jewish boundary lines. It's a home-based experiment that both broadens and deepens connection between people, and especially meets the needs of families with young children. Learn more at ...

In Episode 5 of Unaffiliated, host Kathryn Elliott interviews Simone Ellin, a freelance writer who decided to track down the women who bullied her in middle school (read her HuffPost article about it that went viral). Simone and Kathryn dig into peer exclusion, building resilience in children, and the poignancy of going back to someone who has hurt you. Help Simone with her book research: Do you have a story about bullying or peer exclusion? Write to SimoneEllin(at)gmail.com. Simone is an a...

On Episode 4 of Unaffiliated, host Kathryn Elliott talks with Sharon Hogan, a school psychologist and former adjunct professor who has a personal interest in the neuroscience of spiritual experiences. Sharon shares her perspective as a humanist, atheist, free thinker, and scientist. Where do language and spirituality reside in the brain? What if that part of the brain was surgically removed? How does this relate to Reeses peanut butter cups? This and more, when you listen in. ---> Feel fr...

On Episode 3 of Unaffiliated, host Kathryn Elliott talks with Sy Castells, a transgender writer, poet, and activist from the Cleveland area. Their wide-ranging discussion touches on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and suffering; exploring ultimate questions with science fiction; and the importance of showing presence by listening. --> Check out honest and entertaining articles by Sy Castells on Sy's Medium page. Best of Science Fiction Roundup Learn more about some of our favorite space-rel...

On Episode 2 of Unaffiliated, host Kathryn Elliott talks with Vijay Parthasarathay, an anthropologist and cultural strategist who cares deeply about human dignity and the art of vulnerable connection. Together they discuss empathy, validation, and the common good from agnostic and Christian viewpoints. Follow us! on Facebook & Instagram @TheUnaffiliatedPodcast Subscribe to the Unaffiliated Blog unaffiliatedshow.com/unaffiliatedblog Support the Making of Unaffiliated unaffiliateds...

In the first episode of Unaffiliated: the Search for Meaning, host Kathryn Elliott speaks to a woman named Geneva Toddy about her Baptist upbringing, the deaths and breakups that sparked her search for meaning, and expressions of love that resonate. Follow us! on Facebook & Instagram @TheUnaffiliatedPodcast Subscribe to the Unaffiliated Blog unaffiliatedshow.com/unaffiliatedblog Support the Making of Unaffiliated unaffiliatedshow.com/support-the-launch Leave us a voicemail speakpipe.c...

In this trailer episode for season one of the Unaffiliated podcast, host Kathryn Elliott shares about her quest to ask both non-religious and religious individuals about the search for meaning and connection. Coming up in Season One: Conversations with broad-minded and thoughtful guests of all backgrounds who open up their life experiences, insights, and their personal journey to make sense of this world, its people, and its mysteries. Join us every Tuesday for conversations with guests wh...