Common Threads: An Interfaith Dialogue
Rated as the #1 podcast on all matters interfaith by Feedspot (https://blog.feedspot.com/interfaith_podcasts/), this is a weekly program that airs on Michigan NPR affiliates WGVU and WGVK. These 2 stations cover the entire western portion of the state. The show is hosted by Fred Stella, President of Interfaith Dialogue Association, an affiliate of Kaufman Interfaith Institute, which operates out of Grand Valley State University, the license holder of both stations.
Each week Fred invites clerics, authors, activists and the occasional mystic into conversation about the role of spirituality and religion in politics, world affairs, societies and individuals. The parameters are quite wide.
Besides his passion for all things transcendent, Fred Stella has an extensive resume in the world of media. Since his graduation from college Fred has worked in multiple radio formats, including news/talk, where he developed his skills in the art of the interview. He also has extensive experience in TV, stage, web entertainment, audiobook narration and more. He lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Philosophy
Religion
News
Progressive
Religion & Spirituality
Society & Culture
Interviews
News Commentary
- Update frequency
- every 11 days
- Average duration
- 54 minutes
- Episodes
- 335
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
Imagining God: Religion as Metaphor Parts 1 & 2
We're taking a break from uploading shows from The Vault of the Ancients to bring you 2 episodes that aired in early 2022. Here we converse with Prof. Humberto Casanova, a Chilean theologian. Mr. Cas…
00:53:59 |
Thu 03 Feb 2022
Habits of the High Tech Heart Parts 1 & 2
I chortled more than a bit listening to these 2002 episodes. Our guest Quentin Shultze discusses how to engage with new technology from a moral & ethical foundation. But think about where we were the…
00:55:48 |
Wed 02 Feb 2022
Living Through Pain: Psalms & the Search for Wholeness Parts 1 & 2
These episodes from 2005 feature conversations with author Kristin Swenson, who wrote the book "Living Through Pain: Psalms & the Search for Wholeness." Regardless of ones' religion, there is some de…
00:56:36 |
Mon 31 Jan 2022
A Global Guide to Interfaith Parts 1 & 2
These are 2 episodes from 2008, where I speak with contributors to the book A Global Guide to Interfaith, which came out the previous year. I've mentioned before that for a program with the word "Int…
00:55:59 |
Sun 30 Jan 2022
New Movements Within Judaism Parts 1 & 2
While many gentiles know about the 3 main movements within Judaism (Reform, Conservative, Orthodox) the more contemporary movements of Reconstruction & Jewish Renewal do not get as much ink or member…
00:54:59 |
Wed 12 Jan 2022
The Dynamics of Judeo-Christian Relationships in the Middle Ages Parts 1 & 2
If you're familiar with our vault of classic episodes, you're aware of the fact that in the past we've interviewed several wonderful authors within the genre of historical fiction to discuss religion…
00:57:01 |
Fri 07 Jan 2022
Religion & Ecology Conference Preview Parts 1 & 2
This one is a real oldie. Back in 2002 we held our annual interfaith conference, with the theme of environmentalism. We shared the duties with the West Michigan Environmental Action Committee. So rem…
00:55:14 |
Wed 05 Jan 2022
A Vedantic Interpretation of the Gospels by Sri Yogananda Parts 1 & 2
I'm very pleased to find the cassette that had these 2005 episodes on it. I didn't think I would. Here I enjoy a conversation with Swami Chidananda, one of the main editors that worked intensely on t…
01:01:53 |
Sat 01 Jan 2022
The Inner work of Age Parts 1 & 2
We have such an interesting relationship with age here in the US. We tend to worship youth and disregard the wisdom and life experience that comes with more candles on the cake. Of course, it's also …
00:53:48 |
Tue 28 Dec 2021
Daughters of the Desert Parts 1 & 2
These episodes are from 2003. They feature the women who wrote the stories in the book "Daughters of the Desert." This is a wonderful book that examines the very underappreciated role of women in the…
00:54:58 |
Fri 24 Dec 2021
Interfaith Conference on Science & Religion 1999
OK, if you skip this one you're forgiven. I'm still going through a big box of ancient shows, and the other day i came across this cassette. It is not an episode of Common Threads, but a recording o…
01:37:55 |
Wed 22 Dec 2021
A Faith Worth Believing Parts 1 & 2
I'd really thought we'd exhausted the episodes featuring my cousin, Fr. Tom Stella. But lo & behold, I reached into my box of old cassettes & pulled out these episodes from 2004 that promoted his boo…
00:56:30 |
Sun 19 Dec 2021
Finding Divinity in the Natural World Parts 1 & 2
This is a fascinating couple of episodes that deal with a rather radical Christian ecology. Mark Wallace proposes a worldview that claims all sentient beings are coequal in value. Not many people can…
00:56:58 |
Thu 16 Dec 2021
Revenge: A Story of Hope & Forgiveness Parts 1 & 2
These 2 episodes were used to promote our interfaith conference in 2003. So please remember to ignore all references to the information I share. Even thought the event is long past the story of our g…
00:53:52 |
Tue 14 Dec 2021
Theosophy: An Introduction Parts 1 & 2
I'm pretty sure this episode is from 2004. Our guest is John Rao from the Theosophical Society. I really enjoyed listening to this right now. John, as I recall, was really a good guy. He gave much of…
00:56:02 |
Sat 11 Dec 2021
You Never Call You Never Write: A History of Jewish Mothers Parts 1 & 2
While I try to tackle a wide variety of subjects with equal interest, it's easy to tell which subjects really excite me. Just look through the archives to see how many times I revisit a subject. I ju…
00:57:32 |
Wed 08 Dec 2021
The Gospel According to Buffy Parts 1 & 2
Recently we posted the episodes that focused on The Gospel According to The Simpsons. This week I came across a show we did a year later (2004) with Jana Riess, the author of "What Would Buffy Do?" T…
00:54:10 |
Sat 04 Dec 2021
Reincarnation...Again & Again Parts 1 & 2
Somewhere in the archives you'll find episodes with Dr. Jefferey Long, who offered us some great conversations on the subject of rebirth. These here were done a long time before. I believe these aire…
00:57:02 |
Fri 03 Dec 2021
Sacred Space by Sacha Parts 1 & 2
OK, these episodes from 2004 might not be the most popular with folks, but I could be wrong. Way back then we never figured that anyone outside of West Michigan would ever hear these, so much of the …
00:56:25 |
Wed 01 Dec 2021
Conversations with the Brilliant Rabbi David Rosen on All Things Interfaith Parts 1 & 2
These episodes are really among my favorites. Aired in 2008, we hosted Rabbi David Rosen, a gent with an impressive resume.
David Shlomo Rosen is the former Chief Rabbi of Ireland and currently ser…
00:55:23 |
Tue 30 Nov 2021
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