Reimagining the Good Life with Amy Julia Becker

If you’ve struggled with questions about God, suffering, or whether faith can make sense of the world’s brokenness, you’re not alone. Poet Christian Wiman joins Amy Julia Becker to talk about pain, joy, doubt, and the lifelong hunger for God. Together, they explore a faith honest enough to hold both questions and hope. S10 E10: 00:00 The Genesis of Glimmerings 04:41 Navigating Differences in Faith 12:24 The Role of Personal Encounters 18:45 The Intersection of Suffering and Longing for God 23...

When a child grows up with a sibling with a disability, what defines their childhood? Author Brian Trapp reflects on life with his twin brother with cerebral palsy. Brian shares how his childhood was a source of unexpected gifts, deep connection, and lifelong formation. He joins Amy Julia Becker to consider: Limits of labels like “glass child” and “mental age”Family and flourishing togetherThe complexity of identitySibling and caregiving relationshipsRange of Motion by Brian TrappS10 E9: &nbs...

Difference exposes our tendency to rank people as “better” or “worse.” Theologian Brian Brock, PhD, joins Amy Julia Becker to explore a life rooted in connection, creatureliness, and love. They consider: Social hierarchy and disability stigmaDietrich Bonhoeffer, community, and moral responsibilityHuman worth and personhoodJoining Creation's PraiseS10 E8: 00:00 Introduction: Joining Creation's Praise 04:35 Human Beings Are Creatures 11:57 Human Exceptionalism and Disability 16:00 Dietrich Bonh...

S10 E7—Saying "I'm sorry" isn't enough to repair personal or institutional harm. Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, author of On Repentance and Repair, joins Amy Julia Becker to share an ancient framework for repentance and repair that challenges our culture's obsession with quick apologies. Together they discuss forgiveness, institutional responsibility, and breaking cycles of harm. 00:00 Defining Repentance and Repair 04:29 The Current State of Repentance in Society 07:10 Maimonides' Process of R...

S10 E6—Is disability a tragedy to overcome, a burden to bear, an inspirational lesson for everyone else? Or is there a different story to tell, and who gets to tell it? Craig Thomas, co-creator of How I Met Your Mother, joins Amy Julia Becker to discuss That’s Not How It Happened, his novel written from nearly two decades of growing up with a son with a rare genetic condition. Together they explore: Disability representationOverprotective parentingIndependence and agencyThe power of aut...