The AST Podcast

In this episode Cathy Driscoll, Professor at the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary's University, joins us to speak about sexual abuse and the Catholic Church. Cathy's scholarly expertise in the areas of organizational ethics (as well as her status as an active lay Catholic) makes her ideally placed to discuss the ecclesial pathologies that the abuse crisis brings to light. The focus of the conversation is on reform and how lay people can work to bring about the reforms needed. If you're interested in discussing your role in bringing about the change needed, please do email Cathy - cathy.driscoll@smu.ca or David - ddeane@astheology.ns.ca This podcast is an invitation to a much needed conversation.

In this episode of the AST Podcast, Professor David Maclachlan discusses some recent ecumenical dialog with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The conversation explores the opportunities and limits of ecumenical dialog. Questions about how scripture shapes our models of God are never far from the surface. Please do share your thoughts and comments below!

In this episode, Allie speaks to Roy Ellis, MDiv CSCP, about his work as a bereavement coordinator and the upcoming Hayes Symposium - "God and Cancer".  This fascinating conversation offers resources and insights for anyone whose life or relationships have been impacted by Cancer.

Catastrophic climate change is here. People are being displaced, many species are becoming extinct. And this situation will get worse. This podcast begins to explore what Ethics, Law, and Theology have to say to this world, a world in crisis due to ecological catastrophe. It discusses some things you may have heard discussed before – such as why and how Christians need to change. It also explores questions that, as the 21st-century proceeds, will become more and more relevant such as, would acts of ecological terrorism, such as blowing up a pipeline, be morally justified? How should criminal law evolve in response to the unprecedented challenges climate-driven social catastrophe poses? And what lenses can Theology and Ethics bring to a new dark age of climate-driven social breakdown?In this conversation, David is joined by Professor Cathy Driscoll and Professor Rob Currie.Cathy is a Professor in the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University and Chair of the Halifax-Yarmouth Diocesan Council for Development and Peace – Caritas Canada. She is a certified Laudato Si’ Animator with the Global Catholic Climate Movement.Rob is a Professor in the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University. He is a leading expert on criminal law whose work is regularly cited by the Supreme Court of Canada. His seminal, International and Transnational Criminal Law, was shortlisted for the Walter Owen Book Prize for Outstanding Legal Literature in 2011.

In a culture in which we really need feel-good stories, Elizabeth Holmes gave us one.She was the youngest ever female billionaire, a tech inventor and genius who was revolutionising silicone valley and the health industry. She promised a new world in which all of our blood tests could be taken at home via a single droplet of blood. But the technology didn’t work and the only thing she invented was herself.What does the rise, and fall, of Elizabeth Holmes say about women’s issues in 21st-century society? What does it reveal about ethics and modern capitalism? How do these events give us insights into class, the power of stories, and the nature of the American dream in our age? To answer these questions the AST Podcast has brought in scholars of literature, Jennifer Derwey, and Andrew Aven-Gillis, who is an expert on another inventor, Jay Gatsby. They will discuss how the events surrounding Elizabeth Holmes, when seen through the lens of The Great Gatsby, can tell us things about us and our world. 

Game of Thrones is nothing less than a cultural phenomenon, attracting 100's of millions of viewers, a rabid fanbase, and exhaustive attention on social media. While many TV shows erase Religion or keep it firmly in the background, in Game of Thrones it has a significant role in the narrative.  In this episode, Allie is joined by Jody and David to discuss Religion in Game of Thrones.Along the way, Jody offers a brilliant in-depth analysis of Daenerys Targaryen, while David posits that she illustrates fundamental tensions within liberalism. Exploring themes like redemption, the Trinity, and enchantment, they both suggest how this Sunday's finale will play out from a theological perspective! 

Wisdom literature is a term given to a group of books in the Bible such as Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs, the Book of Wisdom, Sirach, and some psalms. These texts include lots of reflection on virtue and the good life. This categorization emerged in modern times and served to locate such texts within a wider array of texts focused on such topics. It also was based on, and enshrined, understandings of knowledge, wisdom and the human person indebted to modern, western, enlightenment perspectives.In his recent brilliant and controversial book "An Obituary for Wisdom Literature" Will Kynes argues that such a categorization has served these texts, the bible, and the Church, ill. In this podcast, he advances this argument in a conversation with Daniel Driver. This conversation originally featured in a recent course Daniel taught at AST and he and Will have very generously allowed us here at the AST podcast to share it with you.We do hope you enjoy it!PS - Will's book, An Obituary for "Wisdom Literature" is out with Oxford University Press and can be purchased here  https://global.oup.com/academic/product/an-obituary-for-wisdom-literature-9780198777373?cc=ca&lang=en& PPS - David is far too close in the introduction, Premiere Pro made it like this to unify the pictures from the intro and the conversation proper - we do apologize. 

Can people change? In Charles Dickens novels they can, as figures such as Scrooge and Pip illustrate. But how do they change to the extent that Scrooge changes? and in so short a space of time? To discuss this, the podcast has invited in Professor Jody Clarke, who has published articles exploring the significance of Charles Dickens for clinicians and theologians. Jody speaks about how Scrooge from “A Christmas Carol” and a number of characters from “Great Expectations” manifest the consequences of trauma. With interventions from other characters figures such as Scrooge and Pip are able to achieve a level of healing and transformation. Jody suggests that such interventions can serve as models for clinicians and ministers. This discussion is sure to fascinate fans of Dickens as well as those interested in healing and transformation. 

Rob Currie, Professor of Law at the Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University, joins David to discuss Steve Bannon and the rise of right-wing populism.  Stephen Bannon, the ideologue behind the rise of Trump, is at work across Europe building up populist movements. He has recently leased a monastery in Italy to provide a base for training a new generation of right-wing populist leaders.Is the fear these developments have generated in the media warranted? Is there anything to be learned from Bannon's ideology? Is the movement he represents wholly malign? If so, how is it managing to attract people? What do such developments mean for our society and its future? In discussing such topics Rob and David strive for the kind of nuance rarely found in debate about Steve Bannon and the ideas he seeks to promote.

The topic of Archdiocesan restructuring with the possibility of Church closures has been a lively one. In an earlier episode https://youtu.be/taQqvoMLLyo Corynne Oehman offered one perspective, critical of the developments. In this episode Greg Aikins offers the other side. Greg argues that the restructuring represents an exciting development whereby the Church is focussing on mission in fulfillment of the great commission. With great clarity, transparency, and persuasiveness, Greg spells out the vision behind the developments.

In this episode, Allie is joined by Kenn Stright of KAIROS Canada. Kenn discusses the role of faith in activism and speaks about some unique ways that KAIROS helps build a more just and sustainable world. Kenn also discusses the fascinating "Streams of Justice" gathering that KAIROS are hosting at Mt Allison in Sackville New Brunswick from May 2nd to May 5th. For more information see https://www.kairoscanada.org/atlanticgathering

How does Church closure impact members of that congregation? When re-organization is driven by a new vision, what happens to people who don't share this vision? What should a Church do to enable conversation and transparency in a time of change? In this episode, Corynne Oehmen joins David to discuss these issues. Corynne represents a contrasting viewpoint to David's and one very much in need of being heard at this crucial time.  This conversation centers on reorganization in the Archdiocese of Halifax/Yarmouth but is relevant for any denomination or congregation faced with institutional and cultural change and interested in fostering transparency and dialogue during this change.

In this episode, activist Ruth Shaw joins Allie and David to discuss Abortion and the nature of public discourse in contemporary Canada. Along the way, Ruth speaks about her arrest, the problems with Religious language in public debate, and how reason and evidence should be used to shape our perspectives.Ruth Shaw is director of National Campus Life Network - www.ncln.ca

In this episode, host, Allie Crawley is joined by David Deane to discuss the New EVangelization in the Roman Catholic Church. Along the way, they discuss the state of global Christianity, the similarities between the New Evangelization and the spread of early Christianity, and whether the AST diploma model of New Evangelization would be a good fit for other Christian denominations. Just follow the time stamps below to go the relevant sections of the chat!00:00 What is the New Evangelization?02:44 What is distinctive about the AST approach to the New Evangelization?9:50 What the Diploma program in the New Evangelization at AST offers that no other approach does. 12:05 Would a similar Diploma program work for other Christian denominations?19:39 How can people learn more and get involved in this approach to the New Evangelization?

In this Podcast, Rev Dr Ross Bartlett takes us through the past and present of Lent in the United Church of Canada.Along the way, Ross offers some fascinating insights about how to live Lent to the fullest as both a minister and a congregant.  

In this podcast, marketing and communications coordinator, Allie Crawley, joins David to speak about Social Media and how it shapes life today. They explore how social media impacts our self worth and informs 21st-century sexual cultures. They investigate the relationship between social media and capitalism today and discuss how can parents and grandparents help family members navigate fascinating but challenging waters.

The sexual abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Church has been going on for decades. After the documentation, this past Fall, of yet more horrific events, Pope Francis has summoned nearly 200 Church leaders from 130 countries to a summit meeting at the Vatican. But what will come from this meeting? What is Pope Francis’ own track record on handling sexual abuse cases? And what needs to be done in order for the Catholic Church to reform? Cathy Driscoll from the Sobey School of Business at SMU joins David to provide answers to these questions. 

How can Protestants and Catholics jointly teach a class on the Eucharist when they believe different things about it? Is this challenge even more acute when it involves people trained in different disciplines? In discussing these questions, Daniel and David chat about their ongoing course - "The Eucharist in Ecumenical Perspective". They discuss the opportunities and difficulties commensurate with diverse perspectives while exploring the possibility of joint research on the topic. This fascinating conversation is a must listen for anyone interested in the Eucharist, ecumenism, or cross-pollination within the theological disciplines.  

Deep Water, a Wesleyan Church in Halifax, has grown from about 30 original attendees to today, where around 600 people gather every Sunday. It continues to grow to such an extent that it is in the process of establishing additional sites around the city. How has this happened? What does its planter and lead Pastor AJ Thomas see as the reasons for its success? And what can AJ tell us about growing a vibrant, transformative, congregation in downtown Halifax today?

In this episode Catholic media (traditional and social) expert (and Diploma in the New Evangelization grad!) Stephanie Potter stops by to chat about Covington Catholic, MAGA hats, and the New Evangelization diploma. Because it's such a wide ranging episode we've broken it up into sections so you can jump to the parts most interesting to you. Just go to the time listed below to jump to that part. Thanks for watching! Please do share and subscribe!0:00 - Covington Catholic, the media and "the elites"19:37 - Catholics in MAGA hats??37:54 - The New Evangelization (with a dodgy segue)51:22 - It's about the laity baby56:00 - AST's Diploma program in the New Evangelization