"The Bible invites us to wrestle with life's realities." In this final episode of our Summer Forecast series of 2026, Rev. Dr. Isabelle Hamley discusses the challenges and importance of preaching from difficult parts of scripture, including texts on judgment, trauma, violence, and justice. While we often want to avoid these sections of Scripture, she helps us think about how to read these texts faithfully and responsibly. Isabelle’s commitment to preaching from the whole counsel of God remind...

Our Summer Forecast continues! In this conversation, Dr. Brent Strawn discusses his extensive background in Old Testament studies, particularly focusing on the book of Deuteronomy. He explores its significance within the Torah, its audiences throughout Israel's history, and its unique structure as a covenant document. Brent emphasizes the rhetorical nature of Deuteronomy, its legal framework, and the importance of repetition in its teachings. In this conversation, we explore the themes ...

This week, we are reconnecting with Dr. Susan Phillips, who has been a long-standing presence at Regent Summer School. This year, she will be back teaching Contemplative Listening: The Foundation of Spiritual Friendship and Direction from July 20-31. Susan has many years of experience as a spiritual director, researcher and teacher. In this conversation, she shares with us about listening as vocation and sanctuary. She also shares helpful perspectives on the transformative power of listening,...

We're returning to a soul-filling conversation with Dr. Tom Schwanda ahead of his summer class, "Experiencing the Presence: Walking with God All Day Long," which will be running from July 13-17. Two years ago, he spoke with Claire and Christina about the joys of soul recreation, enjoying God, contemplation and meditation. Drawing on the rich history of the church and artistic engagement with Scripture, Tom invites us to slow down and notice God in our lives. He also tackles the distractions t...

Today, we are reprising one of our most popular conversations of the past year with Dr. David C. Wang. David will be with us again at Regent this summer, from June 29 to July 3, teaching Trauma & Spiritual Formation: Principles & Practices for Leadership. In this conversation, he touches on many themes that will be discussed in the class, including types of trauma, adverse childhood experiences and ministry leaders, caring for oneself and others in the aftermath of trauma, and what we...

We are diving into another insightful Summer Forecast episode with Dr. Dennis R. Edwards. In our conversation, Dr. Edwards shares insights from his life in pastoral ministry and biblical studies, particularly as we navigate race and ethnicity. Dennis argues that understanding social location is so important as we assess our own culturally-influenced interpretation of biblical texts and theology. While the Bible acknowledges human diversity, he contends that it does not support racial superior...

This week, we return to a lively conversation with Dr. Soong-Chan Rah, hosted by Octavio and Claire back in 2020. Here, they consider the need for the North American church to break free from Western cultural captivity and embrace the diversity of our communities in our gathered worship and theology. Soong-Chan emphasizes the importance of diversity, community, and authentic cultural expression in faith communities. If this conversation piques your interest, consider joining him in the classr...

Today, we continue our Summer Forecast with Dr. Lanta Davis, who will be teaching "Imagination and Spiritual Formation" at Regent Summer School from June 29 - July 3. In this conversation, Lanta introduces us to how the imagination shapes our lives with God. She brings us back through Christian history to show how visual art, stories, and symbols shape our faith, identity, and understanding of God. We discuss how the contemporary imagination is being influenced by consumerism and political ag...

As we continue to look ahead to Summer Programs, we are introducing you to a new friend of Regent, Dr. Warren Kinghorn, psychiatrist and theologian at Duke University. In this sensitive and insightful conversation, Warren reflects on his many years practising medicine as a Christian psychiatrist. He considers the intersection of psychiatry, theology, and human experience, emphasizing the importance of understanding people as whole persons on a journey rather than machines or clusters of sympt...

This week, we are resharing an excerpt from a longer conversation with Dr. Beth Allison Barr about Becoming the Pastor's Wife. In this reprise, we focus on Beth's work on early Christian and Medieval women ahead of Beth's summer class "Medieval Women and Religion", which runs from June 1-5, 2026. Beth's ability to trace the historical arc of Christianity, particularly as it pertains to women, will help give you an understanding of how we have gotten to the place we find ourselves. Enjoy, and ...