The Religion and American Life Podcast

“Conflict Resilience in a Divided Church,” with conflict resolution expert, Bob Bordone

Join us for an engaging conversation between Mark Massa, S.J., and acclaimed conflict expert, Bob Bordone, as they discuss insights from Bordone’s recently published book, Conflict Resilience: Negotiating Disagreement without Giving Up or Giving In. In the episode, Bordone, a lifelong Catholic, unpacks the ways that these insights might apply to parish life and help us navigate polarization in the Church. 

Bordone is an internationally-recognized expert, author, speaker, and teacher in negotiation, conflict resolution, mediation, and facilitation, recently selected as one of the Top 30 Negotiation Professionals by Top Global Gurus.  A Senior Fellow at Harvard Law School, and the USA Today best selling author of Conflict Resilience: Negotiating Disagreement Without Giving Up or Giving In (HarperCollins 2025), he served on the full-time faculty at Harvard Law School for more than twenty years as the Thaddeus R. Beal Clinical Professor of Law, Director, and Founder of the Harvard Negotiation & Mediation Clinical Program before launching his full-time consulting, advisory, speaking, and training practice.  He also serves as the Director of the Consensus Building Institute Professional Development Academy and as an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University Law Center. Bob has also been a Visiting Clinical Professor of Conflict Transformation at Boston University’s School of Theology.

Credits:
Podcast Host: Mark Massa, S.J.

Production: Madeline Jarrett

Music: • Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

A Conversation with BC Head Football Coach, Bill O’Brien

This episode is a recording of a live event we hosted with Bill O’Brien, the head coach of the Boston College football team, for a conversation about faith and football. Join us as Mark Massa, S.J., interviews Coach O’Brien about Jesuit culture, cultivating his vision for the program, his hopes for the team, and what made him decide to take the position at BC. 

Credits:
Podcast Host: Mark Massa, S.J.

Production: Madeline Jarrett

Music: • Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

Fr. James Martin’s Reflections on the 2024 Synod

In this episode of Religion and American Life, James Martin, S.J., discusses his experiences at the 2024 Synod gathering in Rome. Host Mark Massa, S.J., engages Fr. Martin on the differences between the 2023 and 2024 meetings, the topics that were (and were not) discussed, moving moments, the process of implementing the Synod, and even the best Synod jokes. After giving this episode a listen, and to hear more of Fr. Martin’s Synod experiences, check out the recording of an event we hosted on the 2023 Synod last spring. 

Credits:
Podcast Host: Mark Massa, S.J.

Production: Madeline Jarrett

Music: • Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

 

Christian Nationalism in the United States Today, with Theologian and Episcopal Priest, Daniel Joslyn-Siemiatkoski

In this episode of Religion and American Life, Mark Massa, S.J. interviews the theologian and Episcopal priest, Dr. Daniel Joslyn-Siemiatkoski, on the rise of Christian nationalism in the United States. Joslyn-Siemiatkoski discusses the roots of Christian nationalism, the complex ways that it appears in our culture, and what it might mean for the 2024 election. Join us for this important and timely conversation.

Credits:
Podcast Host: Mark Massa, S.J.

Production: Madeline Jarrett

Music: • Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

 

A New Era of Jesuit University Leadership – A Conversation with the President of Fordham University, Tania Tetlow

In this episode of Religion and American Life, Mark Massa, S.J., interviews the first non-Jesuit and female President of Fordham University, Tania Tetlow. Join us as President Tetlow discusses the gifts and challenges of entering her leadership position, the benefits of a Jesuit education, and the unique obstacles and opportunities presented to Catholic universities in our political era. 

Credits:

Podcast Host: Mark Massa, S.J.

Production: Madeline Jarrett

Music: • Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.
• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

Barbie and the Loss of Paradise - A Conversation with Theologian Cathleen Kaveny

The Barbie movie has taken the world by storm since its release in July 2023. The movie, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margo Robbie and Ryan Gosling, follows “stereotypical Barbie” as she moves through an existential crisis and toward self-discovery. Join Mark Massa, S.J. as he engages Dr. Cathleen Kaveny about the theological themes of the Barbie movie. 

The Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life also hosted a panel with Dr. Kaveny and two other scholars on the theological themes of the Barbie movie. Find the recording of the event here. 

See also Dr. Kaveny’s article in the National Catholic Reporter that inspired the on-campus even and the podcast conversation: https://www.ncronline.org/culture/barbie-land-and-losing-paradise-theologian-muses-summers-blockbuster

Credits:

Podcast Host: Mark Massa, S.J.

Production: Madeline Jarrett

Music: • Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.
• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

Art as Spiritual Practice: An Interview with Stuart Hobbs

For people of faith, the attempt at teaching and understanding the divine is frequently done through the various media of art. Whether music, literature, poetry, or sculpture, these are grasps at the ultimately ungraspable. For the Lenten Season of 2023, Ohio artist Stuart Hobbs created a series of paintings for his parish, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Columbus, Ohio. The installation is a series based on the Seven Last Words of Jesus. In this episode, Boisi Center director, Mark Massa, S.J., speaks with Hobbs about the installation and the relationship between art and spirituality.

 

For more information on the Seven Last Words installation, see http://ststephens-columbus.org/seven-last-words-of-jesus-a-lenten-art-show-in-the-sanctuary-beginning-ash-wednesday/.

And to learn more about the artist and see his other works, visit https://www.columbusmakesart.com/artist/8962-stuart-d-hobbs.

Credits:

Podcast Host: Mark Massa, S.J.

Production: R. Zachary Karanovich

Music: • Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.
• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

 

The Protests in Iran: An Interview with Natana Delong-Bas and Kristin Peterson

In September of this year, Mahsa Amini was found dead after having been taken into custody by Iran's "morality police." This sparked national and global outrage, leading to large protests in the streets of Iran, pressure from the rest of the world on Iran's government and religious leaders, and what appeared to be the dissolution of the morality police. Join Mark Massa, S.J. as he discusses with Boston College professors Natana Delong-Bas and Kristin Peterson the circumstances of Amini's death, the solidaristic protests of Muslim women around the world, and what the future holds (or should hold) for Iran.

Credits:
Podcast Host: Mark Massa, S.J.

Production: R. Zachary Karanovich

Music: • Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

The Future of American Religion: An Interview with Pew Research Center’s Stephanie Kramer

In September of 2022, the Pew Research Center published a study that indicated that religious switching is changing the face of American politics. The report concludes that if the trends continue as they are, Christianity in the United States will fall below 50%. And regardless whether this exact scenario continues or another one emerges, the report concludes that the Christian population in the US will continue to decline. Join Mark Massa, S.J. as he discusses with senior Pew researcher, Stephanie Kramer, the causes and consequences of this projection.

Credits:
Podcast Host: Mark Massa, S.J.

Production: R. Zachary Karanovich

Music: • Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.
• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

Charting the ’Way Forward’: An Interview with David Gibson, Mark Massa, S.J., and Michael Murphy

In March 2022, the Boisi Center, Fordham's Center on Religion and Culture and the Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage at Loyola University Chicago hosted the conference, "Pope Francis, Vatican II, and the Way Forward." In attendance were cardinals, archbishops, bishops, academics, and Catholic journalists--all gathered to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing the American Church. Join R. Zachary Karanovich, the Boisi Center's graduate research assistant, as he discusses with David Gibson, Mark Massa, S.J., and Michael Murphy (the three centers' directors) the process and challenges in developing the conference, the insights and outcomes from the conference, and their hopes for the future of the conference.

Credits:
Podcast Host: R. Zachary Karanovich

Production: R. Zachary Karanovich

Music: • Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.
• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Bourree 4th Lute Suite; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.• Double Violin Concerto 1st Movement; Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.