Two-part episodes

Episodes

• Oasis of Peace Parts 1 & 2 2026-07-05
  I can hardly believe that I am STILL finding cassette tapes with old episodes on them These 2 were recorded, I believe, in 2001. Oasis of Peace is a…
• Palmistry: Science? Pseudo-Science? You Decide Parts 1 & 2 2026-06-19
  OK Kids, I'm really hesitant to share this with you, but I do want to upload as many episodes as I can. If you've been around for a while you know…
• Beyond Wellness Parts 1 & 2 2026-06-17
  In the chaos of today’s world, we’re all searching for meaning. The wellness industry has sold us a promise that we can find it if we just buy the…
• Coptic Christianity: The Challenges in Both Egypt and the USA Parts 1 & 2 2026-06-10
  Coptic Christians, the largest Christian minority in Egypt, have maintained a distinct religious and cultural identity for centuries, but they often…
• Longing: Your Quiet Power Within Parts 1 & 2 2026-06-04
  What if your deepest longing wasn’t a problem to solve, but an invitation? Many of us move through life carrying an unnameable ache - an…
• Soul Medicine For a Fractured World Parts 1 & 2 2026-04-03
  In a time of ecological, political, and social upheaval, Dr. Liza J. Rankow locates a path to healing at the intersection of mystic spirituality and…
• Nurturing Happiness Parts 1 & 2 2026-04-03
  In these episodes Fred speaks with Professor Robert Wuthnow about his book, ‘Nurturing Happiness: How Religion Shapes Emotional Practice.’ His…
• The Future of God Parts 1 & 2 2026-03-20
  Host Fred Stella discusses the new book ‘The Future of God’ with its author Steve Schwalbe. Together they explore the Abrahamic faiths (Judaism,…
• Invading the Sacred: Academia's Bias Against Hinduism Parts 1 & 2 2026-03-16
  Another classic from our radio archives that we recently discovered, these 2009 episodes involve a conversation with Ravi Joshi of Medha Journal.…
• A Case For the Existence of God Parts 1 & 2 2026-03-03
  Well, we are getting close to the bottom of the pile. By that I mean the pile of CDs that I discovered in my basement of old CT episodes I'd…
• The Plight of the Bhutanese Refugees Parts 1 & 2 2026-02-13
  There are so many vulnerable populations around the world, and it's hard to keep up with them all. One group that sustained very serious abuse is…
• Contemplate: Toward an Expansive Heart Parts 1 & 2 2026-02-06
  In recent weeks we've been uploading some episodes from about 15 years ago that were recently discovered. This, however, is not one of those. It…
• If It Were Not For Buddha I Could Not be a Christian Parts 1 & 2 2026-02-03
  Without Buddha I Could not be a Christian narrates how esteemed theologian, Paul F. Knitter, overcame a crisis of faith by looking to One more from…
• Religion & Modernity:The 2009 Kaufman Conference Parts 1 & 2 2026-01-29
  OK Kids, here's another classic Common Threads that was misplaced ages ago and is now available. The Kaufman Interfaith Institute (of which…
• No Enemy Left to Conquer: Forgiveness in an Unforgiving World Parts 1 & 2 2026-01-23
  Dipping into our newly discovered tranche of old episodes once more, we have another 2009 pair that explores a very power book about the power of…
• In Living Color: Calvinism Explained Parts 1 & 2 2026-01-23
  Another one from the newly discovered batch of old recordings. I'm assuming this is from 2009 as most of them are. This 2-parter is a conversation…
• Islam: The Basic Tenets Parts 1 & 2 2026-01-22
  Once again we delve into the vault of recently discovered recordings that never made it to the podcast universe. These come from 2009. So please…
• The Halakhah of Jesus According to the Gospel of Matthew Parts 1 & 2 2026-01-20
  Here we go again! As mentioned recently, I discovered a trove of old recordings on CD and cassette tape that I was not aware of. So now I'm posting…
• Crimes Against India Parts 1 & 2 2026-01-18
  Hey All, we've got ourselves a blast from the past! For those of you who have been following us for a few years you might recall that not long after…
• The Fox Hunt: Trapped in Yemen Parts 1 & 2 2025-12-27
  Born in the Old City of Sana’a, Yemen, to a pair of middle-class doctors, Mohammed Al Samawi was a devout Muslim raised to think of Christians and…
• Karmic Relief Parts 1 & 2 2025-11-19
  Just about everyone knows the word "karma." It's so popular that products and companies are using it. But to simply say "what goes around comes…
• The Comparative Gospels Parts 1 & 2 2025-11-05
  The Gospel COMPARATIVE is an innovative new book that enables anyone to read all 4 gospels simultaneously as one story. This is done in a clear,…
• Mother Emanuel Church Parts 1 & 2 2025-10-28
  10 years ago the nation experienced a powerful tragedy when a radicalized racist opened fire in the sanctuary of Mother Emanuel African Methodist…
• Interfaith PhotoVoice Parts 1 & 2 2025-10-02
  The Kaufman Interfaith Institute has several affiliates. The Interfaith Dialogue Association, which produces Common Threads, is certainly one.…
• Ancient Christianities Parts 1 & 2 2025-09-06
  The ancient Mediterranean teemed with gods. For centuries, a practical religious pluralism prevailed. How, then, did one Deity come to dominate the…
• Introduction to Jainism Parts 1 & 2 2025-08-26
  As Christianity began as a sect of Judaism, Jainism was once considered a branch of Hinduism. These religions continue to share a great deal of…
• The Worldwide Pew Research Survey on Religions Parts 1 & 2 2025-08-14
  n 2024 Programs Podcast Topics Schedule Community Calendar Contact Common Threads Pew Research Center Religious survey By Fred Stella Published June…
• Yogalands Parts 1 & 2 2025-06-06
  Millions of people practice yoga, attracted to the mat by its promise of physical and mental benefits, social connection, and spiritual nourishment.…
• Creating Jesus: The Earliest Record of Yeshua of Nazareth Parts 1 & 2 2025-05-15
  Creating Jesus is a book for general readers on the Gospel of Mark as the earliest surviving witness of the life of Yeshua ("Jesus" in Aramaic) of…
• Life With Ghosts Parts 1 & 2 2025-04-30
  Science is studying ghosts? Really? In Life with Ghosts, a documentary film festival winner, a widow suffering prolonged grief agrees to participate…
• Terran Judaism: A 21st Century Version of Ancient Wisdom Parts 1 & 2 2025-04-23
  Alex Duensing, founder of Terran Judaism, joins us Most non-Jews who have any familiarity with Judaism will tell you there are 3 specific movements…
• Weird Catholic Handbook Parts 1 & 2 2025-04-15
  If they only taught this in Religion classes! I promise students would be way more engaged. In these episodes we dive into the fascinating and…
• Ghosted: A Story of Excommunication Parts 1 & 2 2025-03-15
  No matter how some people try to deny it, we humans are very tribal. And for the most part, that can be a good thing if we will forego any sense of…
• Who Are the Alawites? Parts 1 & 2 2025-02-28
  With the exile of Syria's Bashar Al-Assad recently, much interest has been focused on the sect of Islam of which he was a member. However, there are…
• Job in Wonderland Parts 1 & 2 2025-02-11
  Our guest is Ryan Armstrong, author of The Book of Job in Wonderland Of all of the great works of literature that might be compared, the idea of…
• The Midrash Tradition Parts 1 & 2 2025-02-05
  One of the most imaginative traditions in Judaism is called "Midrash." While the word is used in a few different ways, in this episode we are…
• Pierre Teilhard de Chardin Parts 1 & 2 2025-01-24
  In this episode we discuss a new film biography of Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin with its producer/director Frank Frost. This remarkable man was a…
• Hindu Catholic Scholar Priest: A Love Story Parts 1 & 2 2025-01-01
  Today we discuss the autobiography that traces Francis X. Clooney's intellectual and spiritual journey from middle-class American Catholicism to a…
• Honest to God Parts 1 & 2 2024-12-19
  In his new book Honest to God, Rev. John Hamilton provides us with an intimate look at the spiritual journey of an individual who has experienced…
• Boond: The Story of the Ultimate Journey Parts 1 & 2 2024-10-27
  I liken this new book entitled "Boond" to the classic "Little Prince." That is, while it may have a certain childlike charm, it is not really a…
• Italian Folk Magic Parts 1 & 2 2024-07-27
  Growing up in an Italian-American family, I was introduced to Malocchio (the Evil Eye) at a young age. I loved having this eccentric idea as part of…
• The Rise & Fall of the 2nd American Republic Parts 1 & 2 2024-07-10
  A groundbreaking, expansive new account of Reconstruction that fundamentally alters our view of this formative period in American history. We are…
• Devout: A Memoir of Doubt Parts 1 & 2 2024-06-27
  It is hard to imagine anyone living in the USA today who does not either have someone close to them dealing with severe mental health challenges or…
• Constitutional Bind Parts 1 & 2 2024-06-20
  Not long ago Convicted Felon D. Trump began shamelessly hawking "Greenwood" Bibles that include not only all 66 Protestant canonical books but The…
• Mountain at a Center of the World Parts 1 & 2 2024-05-30
  Places of pilgrimage tend to be held as sacred spaces by particular religions. But it's not universally true. Sometimes there are holy sites that…
• Nature My Teacher Parts 1 & 2 2024-05-17
  Ever run into one of those people whose resumes are so bloody full of awesome accomplishments that you wonder why they even let you take up precious…
• Raging Fire of Love parts 1 & 2 2024-05-01
  For centuries theologians, clergy and laity within the Abrahamic traditions have made great attempts to define where the concepts of love and…
• Pluralism in Practice Parts 1 & 2 2024-04-13
  One of the most important aspects of the interfaith movement is raising the bar from mere tolerance (Hey, I'll let you live!) to pluralism, which…
• Missionary Diplomacy: Sending Jesus & The American Way Around the World Parts 1 & 2 2024-03-13
  Fred Stella welcomes MSU historian Emily Conroy-Krutz to Common Threads to discuss her book, Missionary Diplomacy The American Christian church has…
• Uncharted Territory: The Catholic Church Declaration on Blessing Gay Couples Parts 1 & 2 2024-03-05
  Over the years we've had many discussions on human sexuality and spirituality, including religion's response to homosexuality. As of late, Pope…
• Esoterica Parts 1 & 2 2024-02-18
  For centuries, Judeo-Christian culture has held a place for the more esoteric elements of spirituality. These would include alchemy, magic,…
• Reflections on the Psalms Parts 1 & 2 2024-01-13
  Rabbi David Krishef & I have been friends & colleagues for years. We've had him on before to discuss a fascinating event in his life several years…
• Meditation for Mediocre Mystics Parts 1 & 2 2024-01-06
  A cynic might chalk this up to a bit of nepotism, but I would protest. Tom Stella, my cousin, has made more appearances on Common Threads than any…
• Jonestown and the Michigan Connection Parts 1 & 2 2023-12-29
  Even though it's been over 40 years, the memory of Jonestown and the massacre that ended it still haunts the American psyche. Few realize that the…
• Sitting In the Shade of Another Tree Parts 1 & 2 2023-12-08
  In these episodes we converse with 4 writers of religion who contributed to the now best selling book Sitting In the Shade of Another Tree. And…
• Blasphemy: Appropriate Responses Parts 1 & 2 2023-11-07
  Armin Langer is a DAAD Visiting Assistant Professor at the Center for European Studies. Prior to joining CES, he was a Visiting Research Scholar at…
• Righting the American Dream: How the Media Mainstreamed Reagan's Evangelical Vision Parts 1 & 2 2023-10-31
  Diane Winston Theme music "Nigal."
• The Americanization of the Apocolypse Parts 1 & 2 2023-09-30
  Eschatology (the study of end times predictions) has always fascinated me. I'm pleased that these 2023 episodes explain a great deal that I'm sure…
• Hinduism & America Parts 1 & 2 2023-09-08
  Jai Bansal Hinduism in America Theme music "Nigal."
• Follow Your Heartbreak Parts 1 & 2 2023-08-24
  If you are a devotee of mythologist Joseph Campbell you know his mantra for years was "follow your bliss." In the proper context, this can be a…
• The Sacred Time of Sabbath Parts 1 & 2 2023-07-13
  Common Threads is both honored and humbled to be named as the #1 podcast in the arena of interfaith. We are indebted to all of you who download,…
• As I Lay Dying: Conversation with One Who Has Been There Parts 1 & 2 2023-07-04
  I am so pleased to have found yet another cassette tape in my basement from way back when that I'm thrilled to share. All signs point to these…
• Creating the Qur'an Parts 1 & 2 2023-06-29
  There are many people of faith who, upon maturing in their spiritual growth, become willing to view the stories that surround the origins of their…
• Good Death Auspicious Rebirth: End of Life Transitions in the Dharmic Traditions Parts 1 & 2 2023-06-21
  Every once in a while there will be episodes about projects that I've been personally involved in. This is that. These 2023 conversations are with…
• The Life of a Pilgrim Parts 1 & 2 2023-06-08
  In the Hindu tradition there is the stage of life called Vanaprastha. It is when one retires from many family and professional responsibilities to…
• Attempting to Fight Bigotry with Bigotry: New American Caste Laws Parts 1 & 2 2023-06-01
  I suspect that no one who listens to Common Threads would support the oppressing of someone due to their social status or caste. So when we hear of…
• Polarization in Society and the Church Parts 1 & 2 2023-05-24
  We hear and read about how this country is so deeply polarized. The problem is that there is clearly one side that has made a cottage industry out…
• Ali The Iraqi: A Muslim in the House of Mormon Parts 1 & 2 2023-05-18
  Years ago the US Government was anxious to resettle Iraqi citizens temporarily in the USA whom they thought had significant leadership qualities.…
• Sharing Spiritual Stories Parts 1 & 2 2023-04-27
  On an evening not too long ago, Bay Area high school student Ritu Balani hosted an event that allowed fellow students and community members to share…
• America's Courts and the Faith Factor Parts 1 & 2 2023-04-06
  For the past couple of decades conservatives have been planning and executing a takeover of our court systems. For some odd reason, Democrats have…
• The Great Spiritual Traditions of China and the challenge of current restrictions under a dictatorship Parts 1 & 2 2023-03-14
  It is so painful to know of the brilliant legacy of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and other paths in China that flourished, and see how religion is…
• The Heresy of Jacob Frank Parts 1 & 2 2023-02-09
  As I mention in my introduction, I've got a soft spot in my heart for heretics. They tend to be colorful characters with a story to tell. Well,…
• East Winds: A Global Quest to Reconcile Marriage Parts 1 & 2 2023-02-01
  Remember back in the day when almost from birth a girl was groomed to become a wife? If so, I'm impressed that you're still alive, because I'm…
• American Caliphate parts 1 & 2 2023-01-18
  Shahan Mufti, who was our guest a few years back, has written a thrilling account of a terrorist takeover of 3 buildings in Washington DC. His book…
• Interfaith Marriage: Jumping the Hurdles Parts 1 & 2 2022-12-06
  Sociologists tell us that marriages tend to be more successful when certain commonalities are present. Religion is one of them. But we all know that…
• Deep Contemplation in the Time of Covid Parts 1 & 2 2022-11-30
  There is something special about having access to the private correspondence between thoughtful, literate and spiritually evolved individuals. Mark…
• Shambala Buddhism Parts 1 & 2 2022-11-24
  Once again, I find an ancient cassette tape of 2 episodes we broadcasted back in the early days. I have no idea of when we did these, but surely…
• Black Theology Through the Ages Parts 1 & 2 2022-11-16
  Longtime listeners will recall how I have been posting hundreds of episodes from the past 20+ years that were on cassette tapes stored in my…
• exploring the moral impact of movies parts 1 & 2 2022-10-26
  Carl Plantinga is a professor of film and media at Calvin University, where he has taught since 2000. Carl's books include ‘Screen Stories: Emotion…
• The Story of the Yazidis Parts 1 & 2 2022-09-30
  Most of us have never heard of the ancient people known as the Yazidis. It has been only in recent times since the invasion of ISIS that resulted an…