Philip Gulley is the author of 16 books to date, including the popular fictional series based in Harmony, Indiana. Phil's latest is If the Church Were Christian: Rediscovering the Values of Jesus, and it is a powerful challange to the anti-gay, pro-war, pro-wealth messages of Christians out of step with Jesus.
Each week, Spirit In Action brings you stories of people living lives of fruitful service, of peace, community, compassion, creative action and progressive efforts. We will trace the spiritual roots that support and nourish them in their service. Above all, we will seek out Light, Love and Helping Hands, being shared between our many neighbors on this planet, hoping to inspire and encourage you to sink deep roots and produce sacred fruit in your own life.
Spirit In Action is an hour of interviews with those providing leadership in peace, justice and "good works", interspersed with relevant music. The theme music is "The Turning of the World" performed by Sara Thomsen (written by Ruth Pellham).
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On the Ground in Afghanistan - Santwana Dasgupta
First Air Date
Santwana Dasgupta is Director of the Partnership for the Education of Children in Afghanistan (P.E.C.A) for the past 2 years, working from Kabul. The path to Afghanistan grew from her youth in India, the events of 9-11 and from her work with Friends for a Non-violent World (FNVW).
Music Featured:
Come to School Afghani girls - Atai Sheery
Update from Iraq: Sami Rasouli Back in the USA
First Air Date
Sami Rasouli returned to Iraq after more than 20 years in the USA to rebuild the country and found the Muslim Peacemaker Teams. Combining love of his birthplace in Iraq with love of his home in the Midwest, Sami lets us see the people of both places as "us".
Music Featured:
Shekhani - Chaldean Folk Dance from Iraq
Beyond Diversity 101
First Air Date
Niyonu Spann began leading Beyond Diversity 101 workshops after about 10 years as a diversity workshop facilitator. In this new approach, Niyonu uses mixed modes, song, movement, body work, etc, to move in new directions of growth following knowledge of racism from all sides. Among other things, Niyonu makes music with Tribe1.
Music Featured:
Awakening Universe, Emerging Personhood
First Air Date
Mary Conrow Coelho's book, Awakening Universe, Emerging Personhood. The Power of Contemplation in a Evolving Universe, draws on her teaching & research in biology, Masters of Divinity, and PhD in Historical Theology to explore and flesh in "The New Story" of our place in an evolving universe.
Spirited Government - Sweden & Pennsylvania's Holy Experiment
First Air Date
Our two guests consider whether government can do Spirit work on Earth. Jason Penn Browne, author of William Penn's Legacy, writes about the many ways that Penn's Holy Experiment influenced the development of the USA. Julia Ryberg has lived in Sweden for 30+ years, experiencing a progressive system based on the entwining of church & state.
Rodwaan Saleh - Islamic Society of North America
First Air Date
Rodwaan Saleh is the Membership & Affiliates Coordinator of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). I visited with him as he accompanied a group of visitors to Eau Claire from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, on a trip co-sponsored by the National Peace Foundation.
James Mulholland - Praying Like Jesus
First Air Date
James Mulholland is an author and Quaker pastor who's religious path has spanned tremendously, including fundamentalist Christian to United Methodist to Quakerism. He fearlessly faces the big questions and shares the fruits of his learning through his writing.
Religion & Society Exchange - Sahar Taman & Rabbi Jeremy Schneider
First Air Date
Project of the National Peace Foundation and the Islamic Society of North America, Reflections and Experiences of Religion and Society includes essays from the participants in the exchange program between Muslims, Jews & Christians between the Middle East & the US Midwest.
Haiti, Africology, Imperialism & Vodou
First Air Date
Patrick Bellegarde-Smith teaches in the Africology Dept of UW-Milwaukee with special expertise in Cuba, Venezuela, Brazil and Haiti, where he grew up and where he was initiated as a voodoo (or vodou) houngan (priest). Patrick has collaborated on and written a number of books including:
Haiti: The Breached Citadel