Best Spiritual Unity in Religious Diversity Podcasts (2025)

1
Unity, Oneness and Fate 41:51

Play Pause

11h ago41:51

41:51

Carol notes the internal process we go through when we're dealing with a particularly challenging situation - surrounded by darkness, searching for a glimmer of light, feeling hopeless and looking for something (or someone) to blame. She and Rev. Bill discuss the spiritual perspective, and how an awareness of Oneness can begin to turn the experienc…

1
Peacemakers Needed: Bury Our Weapons of War--Russell M. Nelson 23:14

44m ago23:14

23:14

Special Episode: "Peacemakers Needed" -- Landmark address by Russell M. Nelson, former world-renowned heart surgeon, now serving as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.By Spiritual Unity in Religious Diversity

1
Homelessness--Josh Sabo on a strategy of collective impact 1:02:24

1h ago1:02:24

1:02:24

Josh Sabo: An unexpected spiritual journey led him to becoming a pastor, followed by a spiritual restlessness leading to an equally unexpected path to serve a broader community as the executive director of Heartland HOUSED, devoted to achieving functional zero homelessness in Springfield, Illinois, through a housing first strategy of collective imp…

1
Tolerance Means Dialogues: Robin Fretwell Wilson and Toby George 37:34

1h ago37:34

37:34

In this continuation of a conversation begun in Episode 12, host David Risley and University of Illinois Professor Robin Fretwell Wison are joined by University of Illinois Student Toby George to discuss "Tolerance Means Dialogues" in both principle and practice. Tolerance Means Dialogues website: https://www.tolerancemeans.com/ Robin Fretwell Wils…

1
Robin Fretwell Wilson: Freedom of Religion and Competing Interests 36:13

1h ago36:13

36:13

Professor Robin Fretwell Wilson of the University of Illinois discusses reconciling freedom of religion and sometimes competing civil liberties, including nondiscrimination. Professor Wilson discusses how the "Utah Compromise" is an example of how lawmakers can work together across political and social divides to find ways to both protect and harmo…

1
Lisa Daniels: A Mother Who Forgave Her Son's Killer, Finding Healing Through Restorative Justice. 1:38:37

1d ago1:38:37

1:38:37

Lisa Daniels found healing when she forgave her son's killer. She now leads the Darren B. Easterling Center for Restorative Practices. Through her work, Lisa lives out Jesus's teachings on forgiveness from the Sermon on the Mount. Her story shows restorative justice principles in action. Confronting System Failures Lisa shares her direct experience…

1
Scott Reeder: Journalist of Faith 40:07

1h ago40:07

40:07

Scott Reeder, journalist and man of faith, shares four stories of his faith journey and the power of prayer: (1) beginnings; (2) forgiveness and praying for years for an enemy, with unexpected results for both men; (3) prayers to find and marry a wife that were answered 18 years later in a surprising and yet unmistakable manner; and (4) his ministr…

1
Rabbi Arthur Stern 55:10

1h ago55:10

55:10

Arthur Stern had no thought of becoming Rabbi Stern while pursuing a successful career in business, certainly not while living in a homeless shelter during a period when his life came apart due to addiction to alcohol and other drugs. Even when the voice unexpectedly came to him to become a rabbi – a message that seemed to be from God – he struggle…

1
Dallin Oaks: Freedom of Religion and Nondiscrimination 43:15

1h ago43:15

43:15

President Dallin H. Oaks of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints speaks on religious freedom and nondiscrimination in giving the 2021 Joseph Smith Lecture on Religious Liberty at the University of Virginia. (Republished with permission.) (Link to transcript below.) As host David Risley says in the introduction to this episode, "I worry t…

1
Mohammad Khalil: Muslim thought on salvation of others and how he experiences God 1:03:50

1h ago1:03:50

1:03:50

Professor Mohammad Khalil discusses Muslim thought regarding the salvation of others and how Muslims in general, and he personally, experience God and God's love and mercy. Dr. Khalil is a Professor of Religious Studies, Director of the Muslim Studies Program, and Adjunct Professor in the College of Law at Michigan State University. (https://khalil…

1
Steven Collis: Freedom of Religion 42:28

1h ago42:28

42:28

"If we don't understand what we have here in religious freedom, we risk losing it." So says Steven Collis, legal expert on freedom of religion, law professor, and author of two books on the subject, "Deep Conviction" and "The Immortals." In this episode, Professor Collis explains why freedom of religion is important for everyone, including those wh…

1
Father Rob Johnson 56:15

1h ago56:15

56:15

From University of Illinois student studying biology to Catholic priest. father Rob Johnson tells the story of his faith journey. God Unites website: https://godunites.comBy Spiritual Unity in Religious Diversity

1
Father Mark Tracy 44:55

1h ago44:55

44:55

“I love you. I forgive you. Come follow me.” When those words came clearly into the mind of then university student Mark Tracy in answer to prayer, his life changed. Today, he is Father Mark, a Catholic priest and National Guard chaplain. This is his story.By Spiritual Unity in Religious Diversity

1
Dogmas Divide. The Spirit of God Unites. 9:47

1h ago9:47

9:47

Dogmas divide. The Spirit of God unites. Spiritual unity in religious diversity is a win-win for all.By Spiritual Unity in Religious Diversity

1
David Risley: Freedom of Religion 19:38

1h ago19:38

19:38

Freedom of religion is essential not only to people of faith, but also to the health and stability of civil society and governments. In this episode, host David Risley discusses both the religious and secular reasons for religious freedom, in remarks drawn from an address originally given at an interfaith conference in Lucknow, India. The text is a…

1
The Spirit of God Unites 6:26

1d ago6:26

6:26

Welcome to this introductory episode of God Unites, an audio and video podcast program about finding spiritual unity in religious diversity through interfaith conversations and commentary about topics of common interest and finding spiritual kinship through sharing stories of faith journeys. Special topics in future episodes with a variety of guest…

1
Principle 35:31

7d ago35:31

35:31

Rev. Bill finds the New Thought teaching to be very simple and straightforward, and has been schooled by Carol over the many episodes of this podcast that people in traditional religion don't think that way. Carol describes how she can now speak both languages, using the one that's appropriate to the audience. Thank you for listening to the Practic…

1
24. Andrew Yang 1:00:56

8d ago1:00:56

1:00:56

Andrew Yang is an American entrepreneur, lawyer, author and philanthropist, as well as a former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate and 2021 New York City mayoral candidate. He is the founder of the Forward Party and Humanity Forward, an organization that lobbies for anti-poverty measures in Washington DC. Andrew is the first two-time guest on U…

1
An Awakened Path 39:39

13d ago39:39

39:39

Rev. Bill is back from the ANTN Retreat with news about "An Awakened Path." Carol imagines that it's about the spiritual path that each of us is on, moving beyond our challenges and circumstances to deepen spiritually. Spot on - and Rev. Bill describes the new collaboration between the various branches of the New Thought community to bring these po…

1
Gratitude 31:20

20d ago31:20

31:20

Carol notes that "thank you" shows good manners, but that gratitude is more of an attitude. Rev. Bill points out that Gratitude is the next-to-last step in a Practical Prayer, and it's the only one that we can actually feel in our body. (Rebroadcast from 6/29/2022) Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends…

1
Intelligence, Authentic and Otherwise 39:35

27d ago39:35

39:35

Carol has been aware of an increasingly chaotic swirl of events and changes going on, including the added complexity brought on by AI. Her question is who's thinking? Is anybody thinking? Have we outsourced our thinking to AI? Rev. Bill turns the conversation to ethics, moving from what we can do to what we choose to do. Thank you for listening to …

1
Timing 40:48

1M ago40:48

40:48

One of the things that used to drive Carol nuts was when someone was working hard to get through a major challenge, and wasn't getting the desired result, a church friend would say "it's God's timing". Rev. Bill points out that this is dismissive of the person's experience, and makes God the scapegoat. Thank you for listening to the Practical Praye…

1
Buddhism 45:27

1M ago45:27

45:27

Carol loves New Thought, and knows that it is a composite of many religions and traditions. This includes Buddhism, and she notes that many of its peaceful practices get skipped in the adoption. Rev. Bill observes that Buddhism is one of the few major religions that doesn't pray to its founding prophet. Thank you for listening to the Practical Pray…

1
23. Astra Taylor 1:43:42

2M ago1:43:42

1:43:42

Astra Taylor is a documentary filmmaker, writer, and political organizer. Her works include the documentary What is Democracy? and the books The Age of Insecurity: Coming Together as Things Fall Apart and The People’s Platform: Taking Back Power and Culture in the Digital Age, which won an American Book Award in 2015. She is also the co-founder of …

1
Belonging, or Not 37:09

2M ago37:09

37:09

Carol has been observing lots of changes, challenges and threats to the life and society we've gotten used to. She and Rev. Bill explore the in-your-face experiences and how we can know the spiritual Truth and the larger context of what's going on. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen! There…

1
The Devil 30:04

2M ago30:04

30:04

Carol claims that the Devil is really popular. In thirty-plus years as a Pastor, she gots LOTS of pushback from congregants when she made the claim that the Devil doesn't exist. Rev. Bill helps dig into the metaphysics, and describes how we can each have our own personal devils - or not. (Rebroadcast of Episode #53 from June 2022) Thank you for lis…

1
Changing Times 43:23

2M ago43:23

43:23

Carol notes the changes that are happening in our world, and ponders what is being asked of us as well as how our unique combination of gifts, talents and skills can be brought to the challenge. Rev. Bill notes that our tendency to use our prior experiences to predict what will happen next. Instead, we can go back to the initial awareness of out gi…

1
Always Yes 47:43

2M ago47:43

47:43

Carol recalls back to when she'd just met Rev. Bill, and he claimed that the answer to every prayer is Yes. That's different that the world of traditional religion, where the answer could be yes, or no, or not now. The dive in for another round of discussion about it, including some very simple examples of how what we want and what we ask for and w…

1
New Thought for the World 1:09:48

3M ago1:09:48

1:09:48

Carol and Rev. Bill took part in a special presentation for Interfaith Awareness Week, including a discussion of Practical Prayer, and how it can be used by anyone regardless of their religion or spiritual background. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen! There's more information about the p…

1
The Purple Chairs 37:41

3M ago37:41

37:41

Carol has an amazing story about a set of purple chairs that she created almost 25 years ago to serve a specific purpose in the church she was leading. She left, the church is gone, but the chairs keep showing up to serve the same purpose. Rev. Bill points out how Consciousness and Spiritual Principle are at work. Thank you for listening to the Pra…

1
22. Cory Doctorow 1:29:38

3M ago1:29:38

1:29:38

Cory Doctorow is an activist, journalist, and bestselling science fiction author. His books include The Lost Cause, Red Team Blues, The Internet Con, and Picks and Shovels. In 2020, he was inducted into the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame. This conversation occurred on May 8, 2025, as part of a live event sponsored by UCLA DataX, …

1
Difference and Diversity 42:01

3M ago42:01

42:01

Carol has been thinking about the diversity that exists in the world around us, and was reminded about the richness when each person shares their gifts in a way that brings uplift to everyone. Rev. Bill agrees, and points out the contradictions that are inherent in the current efforts to eliminate efforts toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Th…

1
Decluttering 41:15

3M ago41:15

41:15

There is a mental and spiritual process of decluttering which Carol finds to be very similar to the spring cleaning (or yard sale season cleanup) that we do in our physical space. She and Rev. Bill discuss how the process is the same with our inner life, including our desire to hold on to "stuff" that has served its purpose and is past its usefulne…

1
Change 44:11

3M ago44:11

44:11

There seems to be a lot of change underway - even more than usual. Carol observes that sometimes things change all at once, or sometimes it comes about gradually. Each time it happens, she tries to remember that the impact will pass. She and Rev. Bill explore how we see ourselves before, because of, and beyond the changes. Thank you for listening t…

1
21. Sayash Kapoor 1:19:44

4M ago1:19:44

1:19:44

Sayash Kapoor is a computer scientist and co-author of AI Snake Oil. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University's Center for Information Technology Policy. His work focuses on the societal impacts of AI. In 2023, he was named to Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in AI.” This conversation was recorded on February 27, 2025. …

1
Spiritual Practicality 37:53

4M ago37:53

37:53

Carol has noticed that some people are intentionally avoiding news of the world around them to avoid the disturbance and distress that can accompany it. She and Rev. Bill agree that it's important to maintain an awareness, while not being consumed by it. Together they agree on the importance of the mantra, "I know nothing... now what can I know?" T…

1
Second-Guessing AI 39:59

4M ago39:59

39:59

Artificial Intelligence is getting a lot of attention. Carol and Rev. Bill discuss if it's possible that AI is a great way to expand and deepen our spirituality. Or that it could be a major obstacle to our spiritual growth. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen! There's more information about…

1
20. Venerable Dr. Pooja Dabral 1:50:35

4M ago1:50:35

1:50:35

Venerable Dr. Pooja Dabral is a Buddhist monk and an assistant professor at Nalanda University in Rajgir, India, a university which originally dates back to more than 1500 years. Her research focuses on Buddhist 'middle path' philosophy and psychology and Buddhist Psychology. This conversation was recorded on January 28, 2025. Learn more about Ven.…

1
New Normal 40:08

4M ago40:08

40:08

The pandemic lockdown was five years ago, and Carol recalls that when everything stopped people were talking about getting back to a new normal. Now, it seems that the religious or spiritual lives of many have not resumed. Rev. Bill observes that when we're faced with a new challenge we can respond in a new way, or try to keep doing what we've alwa…

1
I Dont Know What to Do 38:05

4M ago38:05

38:05

Carol has found that a lot of people are feeling like they don't know what to do, with all the fear and hesitance that comes from the lack of clarity. Rev. Bill points out that world and national events, plus local ones, can feel overwhelming, making us simply want to ignore it all. But it's important to pay enough attention so that when Divine gui…

1
How and Why 30:53

5M ago30:53

30:53

Rev. Bill is solo again, taking on a fundamental topic: We want to know why things happen, especially "bad" things that happen to us, or other "good" people. And when we do a prayer for something new and different, we want to know how it's going to come about. Rev. Bill explains that both questions ought to be off limits. Thank you for listening to…

1
The Pivot 30:02

5M ago30:02

30:02

The New Thought philosophy tells us we can "look a fact in the face and know something better". Rev. Bill is solo today, talking about one of his favorite topics - the Pivot. It's the specific technique we can use to overcome a tendency toward the experiences we've always had to invite something new, and wonderful. Thank you for listening to the Pr…

1
The Power of Words 40:16

5M ago40:16

40:16

Carol points out that scripture says that Death and Life is in the power of the Word. She and Rev. Bill dive into the tremendous power of words, especially when they are focused and activated in a practical prayer. (Rebroadcast from episode 86 on 1/25/2023). Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to lis…

1
Expansion 39:31

5M ago39:31

39:31

For the 200th episode, Carol wanted a topic that is especially intriguing and uplifting. More fundamental than growth, the Universe is expanding in all ways, so the conversation is about how we are expanding in our spirituality, too. Rev. Bill (as usual) takes the discussion back to the fundamental concept that we are already 100% spiritual, and wh…

1
Intrusive Thoughts 35:59

6M ago35:59

35:59

A listener is having trouble with intrusive thoughts about tripping and falling, and is concerned that this repetitive mental activity could be drawing a problem into his life. Carol's experience is that the negative thoughts are coming from within, so the best place to start is an internal dialog to change the thoughts. Rev. Bill adds that it's no…

1
Artificial Intelligence 45:45

6M ago45:45

45:45

Carol wants to talk about AI. Can it can enhance our expression or risk dulling our minds? She and Rev. Bill explore the rise of Artificial Intelligence and its impact on creativity, spirituality, and human thought. The conversation turns to AI-generated prayer, offering a fresh perspective on tradition, technology, and the soul of spiritual practi…

1
19. Venerable Geshe Dorji Damdul 1:50:39

6M ago1:50:39

1:50:39

Venerable Geshe Dorji Damdul is the director of the Tibet House, the Cultural Center of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in New Delhi, India. He previously served as the English translator to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This conversation was recorded on September 18, 2024. Learn more about Ven. Damdul and Ramesh. Questions or comments? Email podcastuto…

1
Humanizing God 42:21

6M ago42:21

42:21

Carol has noticed that many people have a tendency to think of God in human terms, to anthropomorphize the Infinite. Rev. Bill has some ideas about why this happens, the two discuss the challenges and benefits of letting go of the idea of a Guy in the Sky. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to liste…

1
In God We Trust 34:55

6M ago34:55

34:55

Our money says "In God We Trust", and Carol thinks it shows that we all share a common belief that we're carrying with us at all times. Rev. Bill agrees, mostly, and points out that we can trust the Infinite to create according to our beliefs even when we don't like what we're believing in. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - …

1
Truth 44:40

7M ago44:40

44:40

Carol has been a leader in three different religious denominations, and has found one consistent element throughout, which is the hunger for truth - for what is true? Her answer suggests that each of us has what is true for us. Rev. Bill takes the New Thought perspective and goes back to the Ultimate Truth that there is ONLY God, showing up differe…

Spiritual Unity In Religious Diversity Podcasts