Amid the chaos gripping the United States, Rev. Fabiola Grandon-Mayer, Director of Connectional Ministries for the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church, believes that the church's diversity and our unity in Christ enrich and strengthen us. She shares her inspirational message of hope with hosts Leanne Noland and Jasmin Taylor…

With a new administration in Washington, Stroger Hospital, where many of Chicago's poor and undocumented residents come for treatment, is facing new stresses. Michael Smith and Rose Cicero from Bishop Anderson House share what hospital chaplains have witnessed, and how churches can respond during this stressful time. Support this program! Visit our…

Progressive Christians have been horrified by the rise of Christian Nationalism. But Brian Kaylor and Beau Underwood point out in their new book Baptizing America that many of the views espoused by Christian Nationalists have their roots in the mainline Protestant church. Leanne Noland and Jasmin Taylor host the program. Support this program! Visit…

Fear has spread in Chicago churches after President Trump revoked longstanding protections barring immigration raids on schools, hospitals, and churches. In many immigrant communities, parishioners are afraid to attend service, and churches that are housing refugee families are offering special training to prepare for raids. Rev. Dr. Beth Brown, pa…

Next year marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The country has changed greatly, and Americans from both sides of the aisle are making plans to mark the occasion. Retired United Church of Christ pastor Rev. Dick Simpson and Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, Executive Director of Illinois Humanities, are members of the Illinois America 2…

During the recent presidential campaign, Donald Trump said, “I’ll protect women whether they like it or not.” He then defeated the first woman presidential candidate nominated by a major party in the United States. Rev. Dr. Stephanie Perdew shares her thoughts on who should be women's protectors. She is the director of the Damascus Project, the the…

Jasmin and Leanne talk with Rev. Fred Milligan, co-chair of Presbyterians for Earth Care’s Advocacy Committee, about what the incoming Trump administration means for our planet and how Christians who believe in a Biblical mandate to protect their environment can go forward in faith. Support this program! Visit our website to make a tax-deductible c…

Donald Trump won the presidency with help from an overwhelming number of self-professed Christians. Eight in ten Evangelicals voted for him, while he also increased his share of the vote among Catholics and other Protestants. Dr. Jason Shelton, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for African American Studies at the University of Texas…

When a young Chicago pastor named David Sindt held up a sign that read “Is Anyone Else Out There Gay?" during the 1974 United Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly, it was a radical act. Stint's struggle to push his denomination towards full inclusion is a powerful reminder of the sacrifices gay Christians made to find love and acceptance. …

Jim Wallis, author of The False White Gospel, joins host Jasmin Taylor to break down the danger posed by Christian Nationalists, a far-right fringe group that has found a foothold in American politics. You can buy Wallis's book here. Support this program! Visit our website to make a tax-deductible contribution today. The Great Collide is a producti…

Rev. Susan Wilder, co-moderator of the Israel/Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church (USA), talks about how her denomination has responded to the October 7th attack on Israel and the war in Gaza, and how people of faith can address a conflict that has divided Americans along political and generational fault lines. For more, visit Isra…

More than 35,000 migrants have been sent to Chicago since 2022, mostly from Texas. Many Chicagoans have complained about the burden on the city, but migrants have also been arriving in suburban communities and churches are stepping up to meet their needs. Fr. John Rumple, pastor of Grace Episcopal Church in Oak Park, shares his church's experience …

Tobin Miller Shearer, Professor and Chair of the History Department at the University of Montana, breaks down the three major trends he sees in this election year: end-time prognostications, divine election mandates, and the rise of white nationalism. Support this program! Visit our website to make a tax-deductible contribution today. The Great Col…

150 years ago, David Swing, pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago, was tried for heresy by the Presbytery of Chicago. Many of the accusations against the beloved pastor still divide the Christians today. Playwright and Fourth Church member Kat Evans shares Swing's story in her new play, Perseverance of the Saints. The Great Collide is a p…

It's only January and we already suffered the first mass shooting of the year, and in Chicago, there were over 2,400 shootings in 2023. Rev. Ciera Bates-Chamberlain, executive director of Live Free Illinois, offers an innovative way to tackle gun violence by mobilizing black churches to transform communities and tackle systemic problems that lead t…

Emily Wheeler from Faith Community Initiative talks about the faith community's response to the influx of refugees to Chicago. She's joined by Rev. Ashley McFaul-Erwin from Lake View Presbyterian Church, which is housing a family in their space. Faith Community Initiative: https://www.faithcommunityinitiative.org Lake View Presbyterian Church: http…

Dr. Luther E. Smith, Jr. from Candler School of Theology, Emory University, discusses his inspiring new book, Hope is Here! Spiritual Practices for Pursuing Justice and Beloved Community.By gcbm8

The new season of the “Our 7 Neighbors!!” podcast features archival interviews from Chicago Theological Seminary’s Rev. Jesse Jackson Oral Archive Project paired with contemporary voices from community, faith, and social justice movements based in Chicago. Jasmin and Leanne talk about that history with Rev. Brian Smith, Director of Community Relati…

America’s religious landscape is undergoing a profound shift, Over the last thirty years, the percentage of Americans who identify as non-religious has quadrupled, and nearly half of Generation Z considers themselves to be “nones.” This change has profound implications for upcoming elections, including the 2024 presidential contest. Ryan Burge, ass…

Why do we always have to talk about race? That’s the question some parents ask as schools in Blue states teach critical race theory and civil rights history. Meanwhile, in some red states, teaching about race and racism has been banned. Alicia Reese and Robert Crouch, co-moderators of the Presbyterian Church’s Commission on Antiracism and Equity, t…

Rev. Dr. Craig Howard, Executive Presbyter for the Presbytery of Chicago, shares a bold way to convince Americans to change their minds about political and cultural issues.By gcbm8

When David Zahl writes about anthropology he’s not talking about studying some ancient culture or a trendy clothing store. He’s talking about what we believe human beings are like, and how these beliefs can shape our views on our two favorite subjects, politics and religion.By gcbm8

Garrett Theological Seminary professor Dr. Barry Bryant gives us a historical perspective on how the current split in the United Methodist Church compares with the great Methodist divide over slavery in 1844.By gcbm8

Rev. Myron McCoy, Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple, helps us distill the choice between Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas, Chicago's mayoral candidates who represent the same divide we see nationally: Black Lives Matter vs. Back the Blue.By gcbm8

Dino Robinson, founder of Shorefront Legacy Center in Evanston, and Dr. Michael Nabors, Senior Pastor at Second Baptist Church, one of the oldest African American congregations on the North Shore, share the history of thriving suburban African American communities and how they stood against redlining and sundown laws.…

The Great Collide is hosted by Rev. Jasmin Taylor, former digi-pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, and Rev. Leanne Noland, Pastor of Nashville Grace United Methodist Church in Nashville, IL. Tune in for conversations that will challenge what you think about your politics and your faith.…