Good Faith

How Does the Church Sings Through Suffering and Why Do the Songs Matter?
 
Grammy Award nominee and Dove Award winner Matt Maher joins the Good Faith podcast for a conversation about the power of songs and church music to tell the truth about suffering. Reflecting on protest, justice, prophetic art, ecumenism, and even Rich Mullins, Maher explores how the church can hold lament and praise together while still pointing people to the hope and holiness of God. Drawing on Psalm 22 and Jesus' cry of abandonment on the cross, he argues that the church, like Jesus, must sing honestly about pain and abandonment without losing sight of the worship and honor God deserves.
 
*This episode was recorded live at the Illuminate Arts + Faith Conference
 
00:00:00  - Tease: The Duality of Abandonment and Praise
00:01:00 - Introduction from Curtis Chang
05:31 - Conversion and the Impact of Catholic Liturgy on His Faith
08:13 - Theology in Songwriting and Collaboration
09:57- Can Ecumenism Expand Your Perspective?
13:06 - John 17 and Praying for Church Unity 
14:35 - Prophetic Calling Comforts the Afflicted and Challenges the Comfortable
16:38 - Protest Themes and the Burden of Truth
20:30 - Holding Space for Both Praise and Lament
21:55 - Christian Justice Movements and Prophetic Action
24:02 - The After Party Album and Amos's Call to Justice
24:11 - That He Will Overcome (musical insert)
26:29 - The Toppling of Empire Lyrics as Inspired by Dr. Mika Edmonson
29:04 - The Neurological and Physical Impact of Music on Memory and Community
34:03 - Personal Storytelling and Lament To Work Out Hard Things
40:00 - Rich Mullins' Influence and Legacy
41:24 - What Is The Song the Church Needs Now, In These Crazy Times?
43:48 - A Warning From Nazi Germany Against Ignoring Suffering
 
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Mentioned In This Episode:
The Nicene Creed and the History of the Council of Nicaea
Matt Maher's Echoes album (Spotify)
Matt Maher's Your Grace Is Enough
Matt Maher's The Stories I Tell Myself
Matt Maher's The Stories I Tell Myself (Acoustic video)
Matt Maher, DOE, Dee Wilson, & The Porter's Gate's That We Might Overcome
Listen to the album The Kingdom of Jesus: Songs For The After Party
Rich Mullins' Canticle of The Plains (full album on Youtube)
Rich Mullins' The Joy of Jesus (feat. Matt Maher, Mac Powell, & Ellie Holcomb)
More about Francis Chan
 
Scriptures Referenced:
Psalm 22 (ESV)
John 17 (ESV)
John 14:6 (ESV)
Amos 5-6 (ESV)
 
More from Matt Maher:
See Matt on tour
Matt Maher's website
Subscribe to Matt's email list
Listen to Matt Maher on Spotify
 
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The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Why Relying on One Bible Teacher Isn't Enough—and What to Do About It
 
In this Good Faith Podcast bonus short, N.T. Wright shares practical, accessible guidance on how to read the Bible with deeper understanding, moving beyond surface-level devotion into the rich world of biblical context, Scripture study, and Christian discipleship. Wright explains why exploring texts like Josephus, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Apocrypha, and the Apostolic Fathers can help modern believers interpret the New Testament more faithfully and confidently. He also offers a personal glimpse into his lifelong daily Bible reading practice, revealing how Scripture, prayer, and the Psalms have shaped his faith from childhood to today.
 
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Mentioned In This Episode:
John Goldingay & N.T. Wright's The Bible for Everyone
Books by Richard Middleton
Books by Walter Brueggemann
The Complete Works of Josephus (pdf)
The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls (pdf)
Resource For Writings of the Apostolic Fathers (e.g., Ignatius, Clement, Polycarp)
 
More from N.T. Wright:
N.T. Wright's book God's Homecoming: The Forgotten Promise of Future Renewal
N.T. Wright Online
N.T. Wright's Speaking engagements
N.T. Wright's books
 
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The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Are Violent Bible Passages Being Used to Justify War?
 
Pete Wehner, former White House official and writer for The Atlantic, joins Curtis Chang to examine how violent Old Testament "holy war" texts are being invoked in today's political and cultural debates, including by Pete Hegseth and voices tied to the Trump administration. Pete and Curtis explore the war in Iran, Bible interpretation, the character of God, and why Christians must read troubling Bible passages through the lens of Jesus and the cross before making life-and-death moral judgments.
 
02:37 - Holy War Texts and Public Policy
03:37 - Pete Hegseth and the Invocation of Holy War 
08:32 - The Real-World Consequences of Misreading Scripture 
17:21 - Wrestling with Disturbing Texts 
22:28 - The Necessity of Disturbance and Christocentric Reading
31:07 - What Is the Historical Role of Allegorical Interpretation?
35:17 - Jewish and Rabbinic Traditions of Wrestling with Text 
37:21 - Tim Keller: Christ's Character as Interpretive Key
42:58 - The Importance of Literary Reasoning
46:37 - Literal but Time-Specific Commands
52:15 - A Warning Against Overconfidence
54:04 - Debating for Truth, Not Victory
56:09 - The Real-World and Personal Stakes of Biblical Interpretation
 
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Mentioned In This Episode:
Pete Wehner's article Pete Hegseth's Moral Unseriousness
Understanding Pete Hegseth's connection to Douglas Wilson: What is CREC and how does it shape Pete Hegseth's religious rhetoric?
President George W. Bush's National Cathedral Speech
What is the Christian Reconstructionist Movement?
What is Just War Theory?
Gregory A. Boyd's The Crucifixion of the Warrior God, Vol. 1 & 2
Gregory A Boyd's Cross Vision: How the Crucifixion of Jesus Makes Sense of Old Testament Violence
Tremper Longman's The Old Testament as Literature: Foundations for Christian Interpretation
More about C.S. Lewis & Owen Barfield
 
 
More from Pete Wehner:
Pete Wehner's articles at The Atlantic
Pete Wehner's opinion pieces at The New York Times
 
 
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The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Is AI Helping Us Flourish or Making Us Less Human?
 
Andy Crouch joins Curtis Chang for a timely conversation on AI, Christianity, human flourishing, and the future of being human. Together they explore whether artificial intelligence will deepen human relationships or replace them, why prediction is not the same as prophecy, and how Christians can pursue embodied community, reconciliation, and faithful living in the age of AI.
 
04:31 - Technology Adoption and Cultural Change
09:05 - AI's Subtle Presence and Future Potential
12:30 - AI and Work-Life Balance
14:36 - Risks of AI Replacing Relationships
15:35 - Loneliness and AI Relationships 
20:43 - Practical Steps Toward Relationships
28:36 - A call to cultivate deep relationships before the AI "tsunami."
29:54 - Human Distinctiveness: Prediction vs. Prophecy
35:13 - AI, Consciousness, and the Image of God
41:04 - What are the responsibilities of Christians working in AI?
45:49 - Redemptive Technology
46:24 - Andy expresses grief and concern for dehumanization.
48:03 - God's redemptive purpose despite anticipated losses from AI
 
Drawing upon material from a past conversation
 
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Mentioned in This Episode:
Rosaria Butterfield's The Gospel Comes with a House Key
Good Faith episode 107: Where is AI Taking Us Spiritually? (with James Cham and John Kim)
American Psychological Association: Many teens are turning to AI chatbots for friendship and emotional support
Psychology Today: AI Use in Dating Jumps 333%
Video: AI Allows Man with ALS to 'Speak' Again
 
 
More From Andy Crouch:
Check out Andy's website
Check out Andy's work at Praxis
Read Andy's book: The Life We're Looking For
 
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The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

The Power of Presence: How Connection Transcends Cognitive Loss
Show Notes:
Good Faith's series of Campfire Stories invites listeners to hear how ordinary people are living out extraordinary faith in complex times. In this episode, In this episode. Jim, a devoted husband and caregiver, shares moving stories about his wife Carolyn's vibrant life and their journey through her frontotemporal dementia diagnosis. Inspired by Curtis and Good Faith guest Professor John Swinton, a theologian and former nurse, Jim  explores the theological significance of being remembered by God, and the enduring value of personhood beyond memory.
Send your Campfire Stories to: [email protected]
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The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.