In this conversation I speak with Dr. Dawn Eden Goldstein about her new biography Fr. Ed: The Story of Bill W.'s Spiritual Sponsor.  We focus on the life of Fr. Ed, his own struggles to become a priest, his debilitating medical issues, and his indelible mark on AA and the founder of AA Bill W. I hope that when we talk again, we can discuss some of the other books she has written and her own spiritual journey. Under the pen name Dawn Eden, she has written a number of popular and award winning books, including My Peace I Give You, The Thrill of the Chaste, and Remembering God's Mercy. Dawn began her working life as a rock-and-roll historian and went on to editorial positions at the New York Post and the Daily News before publishing her first book in 2006. In 2016, she became the first woman to earn a doctorate in sacred theology from the University of St. Mary of the Lake. Her book Remembering God's Mercy won First Place in the Inspirational category of the Association of Catholic Publishers 2017 Excellence in Publishing Awards. She has taught at universities and seminaries in the United States, England, and India. Currently, she lives in Washington, D.C. Follow her on Twitter @dawnofmercy.

In part 2 of my conversation with Rabbi Laura Duhan-Kaplan, Professor of Jewish Studies and Director of Inter-Religious Studies at the Vancouver School of Theology, we speak about her book Mouth of the Donkey: Reimagining Biblical Animals, a book that rekindles wonder about animals and their place in human lives and in creation. Laura is also Professor Emerita of Philosophy at University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Rabbi Emerita of Or Shalom Synagogue in Vancouver, and a U.S. Professor of the Year. She lives in Vancouver, Canada, on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples, with her husband (and musical partner) Charles, their young adult children, and a changing array of companion animals.    

In this episode I speak with Rabbi Laura Duhan-Kaplan, a professor from Vancouver School of Theology, about her integrated life as a philosopher, rabbi, and professor of Judaism at a Christian school of theology. Rabbi Laura brings a thoughtful approach to the spiritual life, seeing God throughout creation and the natural world, an understanding of God inspired by kabbalah. We also talk about the ongoing need to combat antisemitism in Christianity.    

Michael W. Higgins is an educator, professor, university President, author, and journalist. Most recently he was President of St. Mark's College at UBC. We talked about Pope Francis and his life in academia and as a journalist. Finally we turned to focus on the necessary role for the arts to shine a light on the truth and expose the darkness in the spiritual life. 

In this episode, I discuss with Fr. Jim Martin, a Roman Catholic priest based in New York City, his outreach to the LGBTQ community and his associated book Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of  Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity.  We also talk about his pilgrimage to Israel and Jesus, which lead to his book, Jesus: A Pilgrimage.  The conversation ranges widely, though, discussing his early life and how he became a priest.  Fr. Martin is the editor-at-large at America Magazine and the author of many other books, including My Life with the Saints and Learning to Pray: A Guide for Everyone.