Godspeed - 06/20/10

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Yoga; Dharma; Karma! Where do these ideas and practices come from, what are their purpose, and how have they come to be the religious foundation of more than 1 billion people?

On this show, Michael Hallundbaek interviews Dr. Arvind Sharma of McGill University in Montreal, one of the world's foremost scholars in the field of Hinduism.

Professor Sharma has published a wealth of books and academic articles in the fields of Crosscultural Philosophy of Religion, Religion and Human Rights, Methods in the Study of Religion, Hinduism, Women and Religion and
Sanskrit. He has also promoted the McGill Annual Sanskrit Conference since 2005, in which all presentations are made in Sanskrit.

In this hour, topics include: the history and development of Hinduism; the different branches of it and their distinct beliefs; the Vedas, the sacred scriptures and their key figures and lessons; Hindu concepts of virtue and vice; successive lives; manifesting our desires; karma; dharma; the material and immaterial world; ultimate reality and "truth"; the spiritual path of Yoga; concepts of a good life and the afterlife; salvation pre-and post-mortem; daily practice; the project World Religions After 9/11; and more.

Godspeed - 06/13/10

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FOLKLORE / WICCA. In this hour, Carole Hallundbaek interviews Sabina Magliocco, Ph.D., Professor of Anthropology at California State University, Northridge. A child of immigrants, her family spent summers living in Italy, specifically Rome and the area of Tuscany, which gave rise to her interest in folklore.

Sabina graduated magna cum laude from Brown University with a BA in Anthropology. At Indiana University’s Folklore Institute, Bloomington, Indiana, she received her MA and Ph.D. in Folklore, with a minor in Anthropology.

She has published on religion, folklore, foodways, festival, witchcraft and Neo-Paganism in Europe and the United States. A recipient of Guggenheim, National Endowment for the Humanities, Fulbright and Hewlett fellowships, and an honorary Fellow of the American Folklore Society, she also served as editor of Western Folklore from 2004-2009.

Her books include Witching Culture: Folklore and Neo-Paganism in America; Neo-Pagan Sacred Art and Altars: Making Things Whole; and The Two Madonnas: the Politics of Festival in a Sardinian Community.

In this hour, topics include: Italy and regional folklore; 'Strega Nona' or Grandmother Witch; religious festivals in Europe as economic and political opportunities; how they changed when the economy changed; how the role of women also changed; the “old religion” and old ways of healing; a brief history of Wicca in England; the rise of Wicca in Europe and the U.S.; core beliefs of Wicca; alignment with the natural world and cycles; conflict with Roman Catholic clergy; Neo-pagans in America; Harry Potter – reaching out to reconnect with our magical, mystical being; individual and group worship; holidays and festivals; the importance of folklore --- why is it a continuing inspiration and guide.

Godspeed - 06/06/10

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PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS, with Phyllis Curott -- attorney, best-selling author, and a trustee of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, one of the oldest and largest Interfaith organizations in the world.

In this hour, topics include: the history and growth of the organization since its inception in America in 1893; the core philosophy and goals of the organization; various Parliaments and conference themes over the years, featuring speakers such as the Dalai Lama, Bishop Desmond Tutu, and Jimmy Carter; what types of religious and cultural issues the Parliament addresses, from fostering interreligious dialogue to environmental concerns.

This segment also includes nuances within the Parliament, such as the challenge of the 'language of God'; how this experience of interreligious peace allows Curott to see a 'glimpse of what is possible' towards the reality of world peace; how her work with the Parliament helps her find strength and meaning in a difficult world; plus upcoming events and future activities, including regional conferences worldwide, Peace Next, and site selection for the Parliament of 2014.

Godspeed - 05/30/10

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NORSE GODS / NORDIC SHAMANISM. Featuring Galina Krasskova, Northern Tradition Shaman, priest and godatheow of Odin. In addition to being the founder of Urdabrunnr Kindred in NYC, Galina is a member of several other fellowships, including Ironwood Kindred (MA), Asatru in Frankfurt, Germany and the First Kingdom Church of Asphodel (MA). Her primary interest is Heathen (Norse) devotional work on which she has written and lectured extensively.

She is ordained through The Interfaith Fellowship and holds a diploma in interfaith ministry from The New Seminary in New York City, a BA in Religious Studies from Empire State College in New York City, and an MA in
Religious Studies from New York University. Her books include "Exploring the Northern Tradition"; "Northern Tradition for the Solitary Practitioner"; and "Runes: Theory and Practice."

In this hour, topics include: the origin and history of the Northern Tradition in Scandinavia and Germany; Norse Gods and their characteristics; Galina’s devotion to Odin, Loki, Sigyn, and Andvari; what differentiates the term ‘heathen’ from ‘pagan’; oppression; the misconception of Northern Tradition as racist; the Runes, a family of spirits; the importance of honor; daily devotions and rituals; ordeal work; divination; more.

Godspeed - 05/23/10

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AMISH / MENNONITE COMMUNITIES. Carole Hallundbaek interviews Professor Karen Johnson-Weiner, Professor and Chair of the Department of Anthropology at SUNY Potsdam in upstate New York and a widely recognized leading scholar on old order Amish and Mennonite communities and traditions. She is the author of the books "Train Up a Child: Old Order Amish and Mennonite Schools," and most recently, "The Amish of New York: Life in the Plain Communities of the Empire State." Currently she is a principal investigator of a three-year project, entitled “Amish Diversity and Identity: Transformations in 20th Century America,” which will explore the growth of Amish diversity; the construction of Amish identity; changing American conceptions of the Amish; and Amish contributions to American self-understandings of religious liberty.

In this informative hour, topics include: the origins of the Amish and Mennonite communities; what differentiates the communities; persecution; American misconceptions about the Amish; the Amish in films and books; core beliefs of the Amish and Mennonite communities; the tension between church and state; marriage and family at the center of Amish and Mennonite life; clergy role and clergy selection; the Amish perception of, and barometers toward, secular culture; forgiveness; worship in family homes; experience of faith in all details of life; more.

Godspeed - 05/09/10

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MOTHER / GODDESS: In this hour, hosts Michael and Carole Hallundbaek explore the diverse images and roles of mother as Goddess in religions around the world. Interspersed with poetry and musical pieces, topics include: the original inspiration for and history of Mother's Day; explorations of the Celtic goddess Danu; the Asian goddess Kuan Yin; Greek goddess Gaia; Mary, the mother of Jesus, in Christianity and Islam; and the roles of Sky Woman and First Woman in Native American creation stories.

Godspeed - 05/02/10

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In this informative hour, the Godspeed Institute explores the spiritual tradition of Vodou. Michael Hallundbaek interviews Dr. Patrick Bellegarde-Smith, author and professor of Africology at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Originally from Haiti, Dr. Bellegarde-Smith has a PhD in international relations and comparative politics. But he is most proud of his status as 'oungan asogwe,' the highest ranking that one can achieve as a priest of Vodou, Haiti's national religion.

Topics include: the misconceptions of Vodou, largely due to the US military and Hollywood films; what Vodou actually is; its African origins; core beliefs and ceremonies; historical linking to Roman Catholic saints; the faith's concepts of spirits, deities, nature, and taboos; women as primary clergy; holy sites and family temples; oppression and persecution of practitioners, including during the aftermath of the recent earthquakethat devastated Haiti.

Godspeed - 04/18/10

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Carole Hallundbaek interviews Dr. Thomas E. Frank, Professor of Religious Leadership and Administration and Coordinator of the Initiative in Religious Practices and Practical Theology at Emory University.

Dr. Frank's primary interest is the history, congregational life, and organizational culture of mainstream Protestant denominations. This program focuses on Methodism and the United Methodist Church. During this program, Frank shares the beginnings of the church in England; the passionate story of John Wesley and the personal journey that led him to discover the benefits of monastic prayer traditions in everyday life; the development of the church through oppression; its growth in the US; its similarities with other Protestant faiths; the associations between the Methodist and Episcopal Church, and the Lutheran and Episcopal Church; the movement toward unity and the question, why wouldn't all these churches come together?

Godspeed - 04/11/10

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Carole Hallundbaek interviews Rev. Amandus Derr, Senior Pastor of St. Peter’s Church in the heart of New York City. In this lively hour, topics of discussion include: the position of the church at the foot of the Citigroup Building; the history of the 150 year old parish; 9/11 and city ministry; the pastor’s dear friend, “the rabbi across the street,” and their ministries together; the origins and development of the Lutheran church in Europe; the life and actions of Martin Luther, a Catholic monk and unintentional catalyst of the Reformation; the role of Germany’s nobility in moving the church away from Rome; the printing press as the new technology that spread the word of Luther’s 95 Theses virtually overnight; the development of the Lutheran church in Scandinavia and then in the U.S. as Germans and Scandinavians immigrated to America; Hallundbaek’s favorite reflection of Martin Luther; and more.

Godspeed - 03/28/10

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With guest the Rev. Dr. Patrick Malloy, professor of Liturgics at General Theological Seminary, the Episcopal seminary of New York City. A former Roman Catholic, Dr. Malloy became an Episcopalian in 1991, the same year he earned his doctorate at Notre Dame. His doctoral dissertation was centered on Roman Catholics in England when they were forbidden by law to gather for worship, and the devotional books they utilized from the 16th to 19th century. He was ordained an Episcopal priest ten years later. In this hour we speak with Dr. Malloy about the history of the Episcopal Church in America; its Anglican roots and continuing connection; its structure, core beliefs and celebrations; ordination of women; social justice; his struggling parish in Allentown, Pennsylvania; the role of the church as an agent of change in today's society; more.

Godspeed - 03/21/10

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In 2005, The Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader, invited us to see “The Universe in a Single Atom,” a book he wrote on the importance of science in the modern world. In it he shares his view that the studies of science
and Buddhism have a similar goal – that of seeking truth. He called for a new age of studies for his monks and nuns, one that includes Western modern science as part of the Buddhist spiritual curriculum. One result is the Emory-Tibet Partnership, a program in which Emory University science professors teach Buddhist monastics in India.

In this hour, host Carole Hallundbaek discusses the program at length with Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi, and Dr. Arri Eisen - the Director and a leading professor of the Emory-Tibet scientific initiative. Topics include: the
beginnings of the program; cultural challenges; the forming of a curriculum; the similarities between Buddhism and science; isolation and integration in the modern world; the mutual relationship between the scientists and the monks; whether the monastics' spiritual beliefs would be challenged by empirical science; the role of empathy and compassion in health studies; and more.

Godspeed - 03/14/10

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In this fascinating hour Carole Hallundbaek speaks with Dr. Asma Afsaruddin, Islamic scholar and author of the book The First Muslims: History and Memory. Among topics discussed: Afsaruddin's journey as an Islamic scholar and woman; her research and discovery of the true nature of the early Muslim community---how it was pluralistic, inclusive of Jews and Christians and possessing gender equality; how these aspects changed over time, and why; the similarities between the early Christian and Islamic communities; the original meaning of the word 'jihad' and how it has been 'hijacked'; the recent apology of the Danish newspaper Politiken to the descendants of Mohammed for reprinting a derogatory cartoon; the way forward together; and more.

Godspeed - 03/07/10

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This hour offers an exploration of religious luminaries who have broken through denominational and cultural barriers in their spiritual growth and left us remarkable literary guidance toward inter-religious peace. Selections include Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh ("Living Buddha, Living Christ"); thirteenth century Sufi mystic Rumi and his poetry about Moses and Jesus; author Sylvia Boorstein ("That's Funny, You Don't Look Buddhist") as she reconciles being both a Buddhist and a devout Jew; Thomas Merton ("The Corner of 4th and Walnut"); and more.

Godspeed - 02/28/10

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With guest Dr. William F. Vendley, Secretary General of Religions For Peace, the largest international coalition of representatives from the world’s religions dedicated to promoting peace. Respecting religious differences while celebrating our common humanity, Religions for Peace is active on every continent and in some of the most troubled areas of the world, creating multi-religious partnerships to confront our most dire issues: stopping war, ending poverty, and protecting the earth. www.religionsforpeace.org

Godspeed - 02/21/10

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With guest Dr. James Sacco, co-administrator of the Bahai School, Retreat and Conference Center in Eliot, Maine. In this hour, among other topics, Sacco discusses with host Rev. Carole Hallundbaek the origins and founder of the Bahai faith; the Bahai faith not as a new religion, but as 'religion renewed'; Oneness of Humankind as the "pivotal principle" of Baha'u'llah's Revelation; The Bahai focus on the establishment of world peace, the equality of women and men, racial unity, and spiritual transformation; the concept of Divine Messengers through history and the world religions as a succession of revelations; common ground between religion and science; and more.

Godspeed - 02/14/10

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With guest Dr. Jacob Needleman, acclaimed author, world renowned scholar and professor of philosophy. In this hour, among other topics, Needleman discusses the true nature of the human being; the toxic ideas in our culture that prevent people and churches from allowing for spiritual growth; the early Christian contemplative, communal life that has been lost; the idea of God as a force in human consciousness; the inner pathways in all religions, that, although distinct, lead us toward a common benefit; and more. www.jacobneedleman.com