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BUDDHISM. If the spiritual concepts of emptiness and selflessness have attracted you, baffled you, or made you feel somehow ill at ease, this program can shed light on these and other gifts of Buddhism.

Carole Hallundbaek interviews Dr. John D. Dunne, associate professor in the Department of Religion at Emory University. He was educated at Amherst College and Harvard University, where he received his Ph.D. from the Committee on the Study of Religion.

Dr. Dunne is a co-director of Emory's Collaborative for Contemplative Studies, a Fellow of the Mind and Life Institute, and an advisor to the federally funded Center for Investigating Healthy Minds. Before joining the Emory community, he conducted research at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland and Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies in India. The author of “Foundations of the Dharmakirti's Philosophy,” his work focuses on Buddhist philosophy and contemplative practice, especially on the concept of "mindfulness" in both theoretical and practical contexts, as well as the metaphysics of “emptiness” and "selflessness."

Topics in this lively hour include: the origins and development of Buddhism; the Four Noble Truths; the cultural quest for happiness; identifying our dissatisfaction as misunderstanding of our own identity and that of the world; the Path for finding happiness; unhappiness as a result of clinging to a notion of personal identity that does not exist; unhappiness as a result of thinking of the past or the future, which do not presently exist; the importance of slowing down our busyness; meditation; mindfulness; selflessness; emptiness; and much more.

For more information, please visit Dr. Dunne:

http://religion.emory.edu/faculty/dunne.html

Emory's Collaborative for Contemplative Studies:

http://www.emory.edu/religions&humanspirit/Religion%20pages/Contemplative%20Studies.htm

Center for Investigating Healthy Minds:

http://www.investigatinghealthyminds.org/

A PEACEMAKER AMONG JEWS, CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS. Michael Hallundbaek interviews Peter Ochs, the Edgar M. Bronfman Professor of Modern Judaic Studies at the University of Virginia.

A prolific author, Ochs holds a Ph.D. and B.A. from Yale, an M.A. from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, and has held teaching positions at Drew University, Colgate, and the University of Maryland at College
Park, as well as visiting lectureships at Hebrew Union College and Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

He is the co-founder of the Children of Abraham Institute, an organization that focuses specifically on the three Abrahamic Religions -- Judaism, Christianity, and Islam -- and on the conflicts that divide peoples who otherwise, according to the web site, “share allegiance to the same God.”

Ochs is also co-founder of the Society for Scriptural Reasoning, which seeks to bridge the gap between faith and reason in scriptural interpretation. Since 1994 he has practiced Scriptural Reasoning with Jewish, Muslim and Christian scholars, a practice that began as academic, and then grew to have broader benefits, as he says, “offering the broader public a way of practicing peace at a time of inter-religious tension and conflict.”

In this fascinating hour, Ochs describes what inspired him to begin these organizations that seek to build understanding between Jewish, Christian and Muslim believers; he explains what ‘scriptural reasoning’ is; the
origins and continuing relationship between the three Abrahamic faiths; how the Jewish people developed from the ancient Sumerians or Iraqis, and how the concept of “one God” developed; how Judaism, Christianity and
Islam all relate to each other through their common ancestor, Abraham, as well as surprising points of consensus in the Old Testament, New Testament and Qur'an; and how the students of these sibling texts often “study in tears.”

Dr. Ochs continues to share about his book “Breaking the Tablets: Jewish Theology After Shoah,” or after the Holocaust; how American or Western culture affects Jewish spirituality today; challenges of and suggestions
to the ‘secular’ Jew; how the conflict between Israel and Palestine is a deterrent to new members of the faith; where Judaism is going, and Ochs’ perspective on what will help guide it into the future; more.

For more information, please visit The Journal of Scriptural Reasoning:

http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/journals/jsrforum/

And the Children of Abraham Institute (CHAI):

http://etext.virginia.edu/journals/abraham/

CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM RELATIONS. Carole Hallundbaek interviews Dr. Ingrid Mattson, Professor of Islamic Studies and director of the Macdonald Center for Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations at Hartford Seminary in Hartford, CT.

Dr. Mattson is the author of 'The Story of the Qur’an: Its History and Place in Muslim Societies' and has written articles exploring the relationship between Islamic law and society, as well as gender and leadership issues in contemporary Muslim communities. In 2006, Dr Mattson was elected President of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).

Topics explored in this hour include: an exploration of Ramadan, the daily fast that is rigidly enjoined from dawn until sunset in the ninth month of the Muslim calendar; the spiritual gifts of Ramadan, including ensuring that the impoverished are able to enjoy the holiday; Mattson's childhood upbringing as a Catholic; the benefits of Catholicism, as well as the challenges that later altered her journey;  her discovery and budding
interest in Islam; her role as President of the Islamic Society of North America; the experience of women in both Christian and Muslim communities; common misconceptions about Islam; the different types of Muslims (Shiite, Sunni, Sufi); her work in Christian-Muslim Relations; the development of the Islamic Chaplaincy program in hospital, prison and military communities; "the heart of the faith" and "the core of the law" for Muslims; the gratitude she experiences as a driving force of her faith; and more.

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WAMPANOAG / WABANAKI SPIRITUALITY. In this program we journey into Native American spirituality and life, from the perspective of gkisedtanamoogk -- a member and Bundle Keeper of the Wampanoag Nation, and a practitioner as well as teacher of Wampanoag / Wabanaki Spirituality.

Gkisedtanamoogk (pronounced kis-eh-tah-nah-moogk) received his BA in Political Science from Boston University. In 1977 he received his Paralegal Certificate from the University of Oklahoma Law School, with a Concentration on Indian Law.

He has taught Native American Studies, the Wampanoag Culture of Peace, and Dimensions of Indigenous Spirituality at the University of Maine; Bangor Theological Seminary; Arizona State University; and St. Thomas University in New Brunswick, Canada.

He is the co-founder of the Anikwom Whole Life Center, and other projects include the Wabanaki Youth Writer's Summer Camp; Wabanaki Men's Alliance work and development; and the Stillwater Laboratory—Indigenous Media and Indigenous Partnership. Since 1985 he has been home schooling children in Wabanaki World-View, Teachings and Life-Skills.

In this hour, which features the music of R. Carlos Nakai, topics include: the origin, territory and growth of this New England tribal nation; the Wabanaki people, their perception of the earth, the role of humans, and the web of nature; the role of the “Bundle Keeper”; the interconnectedness of all of things; the role of natural symbols; the meaning and value of wampum belts; the perception and celebrations of the sacred; morning and daily celebration of the light; the Wabanaki experience in contemporary culture; the home-schooling of children; and much more.

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THE MAGIC of WICCA. In this program, Carole Hallundbaek talks with Phyllis Curott -- attorney, Wiccan priestess, and author of the best-selling memoir "Book of Shadows: A Modern Woman's Journey into the Wisdom of Witchcraft and the Magic of the Goddess," and also the book "Witch Crafting: A Spiritual Guide to Making Magic."

Curott is a trustee of the Parliament of World Religions and is the Wiccan representative to the Harvard University Religious Pluralism Project's Consultation on Religious Discrimination and Accommodation.

A social and spiritual activist, she is a long standing member of the American Civil Liberties Union and founder of the Religious Liberties Lawyers Network. Curott has successfully battled the legal system for the right of Wiccan clergy to perform legally binding marriages in New York City and has also helped to secure the rights of Wiccans in the military, schools, the workplace and child custody cases. She received her B.A. in philosophy from Brown University and her Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law.

She is founder and president of the Temple of Ara in New York City, where, with Temple elders, she offers lectures and workshops on Wicca, initiation, training, and clergy training.

In this hour, Curott defines what Wicca is, and what it isn’t; its origins as the Old Religion; its renewal in post-World War II England under the aegis of Gerald Gardner; its development since then; misconceptions about Wicca, and persecution; the mystical occurrences she experienced that led her to Wicca; the role and healing of the natural world; Wiccan ethics, beliefs and practices; similarity to other belief systems, including Native American spirituality;  the role Wicca in contemporary culture; how Wicca helps her to find meaning; and more.

For more information, visit: www.templeofara.org

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JUDAISM. In the program, host Michael Hallundbaek welcomes one of the great scholars and teachers of Judaism and Jewish prayer of our time, Rabbi and Professor Reuven Kimelman.

Rabbi Kimelman is a professor of Classical Judaica at Brandeis University. Previously, he was the Joseph Shier Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of Toronto, and Five College Professor of Judaic
Studies at Amherst College. He has also taught at Mt. Holyoke, Smith, Trinity and Williams Colleges as well as the Jewish Seminary of America, Yeshiva University, and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Professor Kimelman holds a PH. D. from Yale University in Religious Studies, and has been published widely in journals of scholarly and popular interest in the Bible, Ethics, Liturgy and Current Affairs. He is the author of the Hebrew work, 'The Mystical Meaning of Lekhah Dodi' and 'Kabbalat/Shabbat,' published by the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

In this highly informative hour, Rabbi Kimelman shares on various topics of Judaism, including: the history and development of the Jewish religion; Abraham as the first Jew and his role as the biological and/or spiritual
source of Judaism, Islam and Christianity; the wide variety of expression of Judaism (Orthodox, Reformed, Reconstructionist, Hasidic) and their underlying bond; The Torah, or Hebrew Bible, as God's instructions on how
to live a good life; God as the center of Jewish life; the concept of holiness and the 'sanctity of time' before sanctity of space; the remains of the Temple in Jerusalem as the holiest place for Jews; daily Jewish prayer and blessings; how he personally finds meaning through his faith.

For more information, email Rabbi Kimelman at kimelman@brandeis.edu or visit http://www.our-learning.com/JewishPrayerbook/

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HINDUISM. On this program we continue our journey into Hinduism, as Carole Hallundbaek talks with Dr. Vasudha Narayanan, Distinguished Professor, Department of Religion, at the University of Florida, and a past President of the American Academy of Religion.

Dr. Narayanan was educated at the Universities of Madras and Bombay in India, and at Harvard University. Her fields of interest are the Sri Vaishnava tradition; Hindu traditions in India, Cambodia, and America; visual and expressive cultures in the study of the Hindu traditions; and gender issue, and more. She is currently working on Hindu temples and traditions in Cambodia.

A prolific writer, her books include The Life of Hinduism; The Vernacular Veda: Revelation, Recitation, and Ritual; The Way and the Goal: Expressions of Devotion in the Early Srivaisnava Tradition; The Tamil Veda; and many articles on the Hindu tradition, performing arts and performing rituals, Hindu responses to the problems of ecology, and Hinduism in America and other cultures.

Dr. Narayanan and the University of Florida have created the nation’s first Center for the Study of Hindu Traditions (CHiTra) to encourage the research, teaching and public understanding of Hindu culture and traditions.

In this hour, topics include: the development of Hinduism; the belief in a Supreme Being; regional and local expressions forms of Hinduism; the role and experience of women; Dr. Narayanan’s Catholic school education in India; Hindu symbols and their social and religious meaning; the effect of vernacular texts; reincarnation; the concept of a ‘good life,’ on earth and beyond; the domestic shrine; the experience of Hinduism in different
cultures around the world, including America and the Southeast Asia; the inclusion of aspects of other faiths in Hinduism; the Center for the Study of Hindu Traditions, and more.

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Yoga; Dharma; Karma! Where do these ideas and practices come from, what are their purpose, and how have they come to be the religious foundation of more than 1 billion people?

On this show, Michael Hallundbaek interviews Dr. Arvind Sharma of McGill University in Montreal, one of the world's foremost scholars in the field of Hinduism.

Professor Sharma has published a wealth of books and academic articles in the fields of Crosscultural Philosophy of Religion, Religion and Human Rights, Methods in the Study of Religion, Hinduism, Women and Religion and
Sanskrit. He has also promoted the McGill Annual Sanskrit Conference since 2005, in which all presentations are made in Sanskrit.

In this hour, topics include: the history and development of Hinduism; the different branches of it and their distinct beliefs; the Vedas, the sacred scriptures and their key figures and lessons; Hindu concepts of virtue and vice; successive lives; manifesting our desires; karma; dharma; the material and immaterial world; ultimate reality and "truth"; the spiritual path of Yoga; concepts of a good life and the afterlife; salvation pre-and post-mortem; daily practice; the project World Religions After 9/11; and more.

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FOLKLORE / WICCA. In this hour, Carole Hallundbaek interviews Sabina Magliocco, Ph.D., Professor of Anthropology at California State University, Northridge. A child of immigrants, her family spent summers living in Italy, specifically Rome and the area of Tuscany, which gave rise to her interest in folklore.

Sabina graduated magna cum laude from Brown University with a BA in Anthropology. At Indiana University’s Folklore Institute, Bloomington, Indiana, she received her MA and Ph.D. in Folklore, with a minor in Anthropology.

She has published on religion, folklore, foodways, festival, witchcraft and Neo-Paganism in Europe and the United States. A recipient of Guggenheim, National Endowment for the Humanities, Fulbright and Hewlett fellowships, and an honorary Fellow of the American Folklore Society, she also served as editor of Western Folklore from 2004-2009.

Her books include Witching Culture: Folklore and Neo-Paganism in America; Neo-Pagan Sacred Art and Altars: Making Things Whole; and The Two Madonnas: the Politics of Festival in a Sardinian Community.

In this hour, topics include: Italy and regional folklore; 'Strega Nona' or Grandmother Witch; religious festivals in Europe as economic and political opportunities; how they changed when the economy changed; how the role of women also changed; the “old religion” and old ways of healing; a brief history of Wicca in England; the rise of Wicca in Europe and the U.S.; core beliefs of Wicca; alignment with the natural world and cycles; conflict with Roman Catholic clergy; Neo-pagans in America; Harry Potter – reaching out to reconnect with our magical, mystical being; individual and group worship; holidays and festivals; the importance of folklore --- why is it a continuing inspiration and guide.

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PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS, with Phyllis Curott -- attorney, best-selling author, and a trustee of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, one of the oldest and largest Interfaith organizations in the world.

In this hour, topics include: the history and growth of the organization since its inception in America in 1893; the core philosophy and goals of the organization; various Parliaments and conference themes over the years, featuring speakers such as the Dalai Lama, Bishop Desmond Tutu, and Jimmy Carter; what types of religious and cultural issues the Parliament addresses, from fostering interreligious dialogue to environmental concerns.

This segment also includes nuances within the Parliament, such as the challenge of the 'language of God'; how this experience of interreligious peace allows Curott to see a 'glimpse of what is possible' towards the reality of world peace; how her work with the Parliament helps her find strength and meaning in a difficult world; plus upcoming events and future activities, including regional conferences worldwide, Peace Next, and site selection for the Parliament of 2014.

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NORSE GODS / NORDIC SHAMANISM. Featuring Galina Krasskova, Northern Tradition Shaman, priest and godatheow of Odin. In addition to being the founder of Urdabrunnr Kindred in NYC, Galina is a member of several other fellowships, including Ironwood Kindred (MA), Asatru in Frankfurt, Germany and the First Kingdom Church of Asphodel (MA). Her primary interest is Heathen (Norse) devotional work on which she has written and lectured extensively.

She is ordained through The Interfaith Fellowship and holds a diploma in interfaith ministry from The New Seminary in New York City, a BA in Religious Studies from Empire State College in New York City, and an MA in
Religious Studies from New York University. Her books include "Exploring the Northern Tradition"; "Northern Tradition for the Solitary Practitioner"; and "Runes: Theory and Practice."

In this hour, topics include: the origin and history of the Northern Tradition in Scandinavia and Germany; Norse Gods and their characteristics; Galina’s devotion to Odin, Loki, Sigyn, and Andvari; what differentiates the term ‘heathen’ from ‘pagan’; oppression; the misconception of Northern Tradition as racist; the Runes, a family of spirits; the importance of honor; daily devotions and rituals; ordeal work; divination; more.

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AMISH / MENNONITE COMMUNITIES. Carole Hallundbaek interviews Professor Karen Johnson-Weiner, Professor and Chair of the Department of Anthropology at SUNY Potsdam in upstate New York and a widely recognized leading scholar on old order Amish and Mennonite communities and traditions. She is the author of the books "Train Up a Child: Old Order Amish and Mennonite Schools," and most recently, "The Amish of New York: Life in the Plain Communities of the Empire State." Currently she is a principal investigator of a three-year project, entitled “Amish Diversity and Identity: Transformations in 20th Century America,” which will explore the growth of Amish diversity; the construction of Amish identity; changing American conceptions of the Amish; and Amish contributions to American self-understandings of religious liberty.

In this informative hour, topics include: the origins of the Amish and Mennonite communities; what differentiates the communities; persecution; American misconceptions about the Amish; the Amish in films and books; core beliefs of the Amish and Mennonite communities; the tension between church and state; marriage and family at the center of Amish and Mennonite life; clergy role and clergy selection; the Amish perception of, and barometers toward, secular culture; forgiveness; worship in family homes; experience of faith in all details of life; more.

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MOTHER / GODDESS: In this hour, hosts Michael and Carole Hallundbaek explore the diverse images and roles of mother as Goddess in religions around the world. Interspersed with poetry and musical pieces, topics include: the original inspiration for and history of Mother's Day; explorations of the Celtic goddess Danu; the Asian goddess Kuan Yin; Greek goddess Gaia; Mary, the mother of Jesus, in Christianity and Islam; and the roles of Sky Woman and First Woman in Native American creation stories.

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In this informative hour, the Godspeed Institute explores the spiritual tradition of Vodou. Michael Hallundbaek interviews Dr. Patrick Bellegarde-Smith, author and professor of Africology at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Originally from Haiti, Dr. Bellegarde-Smith has a PhD in international relations and comparative politics. But he is most proud of his status as 'oungan asogwe,' the highest ranking that one can achieve as a priest of Vodou, Haiti's national religion.

Topics include: the misconceptions of Vodou, largely due to the US military and Hollywood films; what Vodou actually is; its African origins; core beliefs and ceremonies; historical linking to Roman Catholic saints; the faith's concepts of spirits, deities, nature, and taboos; women as primary clergy; holy sites and family temples; oppression and persecution of practitioners, including during the aftermath of the recent earthquakethat devastated Haiti.

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Carole Hallundbaek interviews Dr. Thomas E. Frank, Professor of Religious Leadership and Administration and Coordinator of the Initiative in Religious Practices and Practical Theology at Emory University.

Dr. Frank's primary interest is the history, congregational life, and organizational culture of mainstream Protestant denominations. This program focuses on Methodism and the United Methodist Church. During this program, Frank shares the beginnings of the church in England; the passionate story of John Wesley and the personal journey that led him to discover the benefits of monastic prayer traditions in everyday life; the development of the church through oppression; its growth in the US; its similarities with other Protestant faiths; the associations between the Methodist and Episcopal Church, and the Lutheran and Episcopal Church; the movement toward unity and the question, why wouldn't all these churches come together?

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Carole Hallundbaek interviews Rev. Amandus Derr, Senior Pastor of St. Peter’s Church in the heart of New York City. In this lively hour, topics of discussion include: the position of the church at the foot of the Citigroup Building; the history of the 150 year old parish; 9/11 and city ministry; the pastor’s dear friend, “the rabbi across the street,” and their ministries together; the origins and development of the Lutheran church in Europe; the life and actions of Martin Luther, a Catholic monk and unintentional catalyst of the Reformation; the role of Germany’s nobility in moving the church away from Rome; the printing press as the new technology that spread the word of Luther’s 95 Theses virtually overnight; the development of the Lutheran church in Scandinavia and then in the U.S. as Germans and Scandinavians immigrated to America; Hallundbaek’s favorite reflection of Martin Luther; and more.

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With guest the Rev. Dr. Patrick Malloy, professor of Liturgics at General Theological Seminary, the Episcopal seminary of New York City. A former Roman Catholic, Dr. Malloy became an Episcopalian in 1991, the same year he earned his doctorate at Notre Dame. His doctoral dissertation was centered on Roman Catholics in England when they were forbidden by law to gather for worship, and the devotional books they utilized from the 16th to 19th century. He was ordained an Episcopal priest ten years later. In this hour we speak with Dr. Malloy about the history of the Episcopal Church in America; its Anglican roots and continuing connection; its structure, core beliefs and celebrations; ordination of women; social justice; his struggling parish in Allentown, Pennsylvania; the role of the church as an agent of change in today's society; more.

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In 2005, The Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader, invited us to see “The Universe in a Single Atom,” a book he wrote on the importance of science in the modern world. In it he shares his view that the studies of science
and Buddhism have a similar goal – that of seeking truth. He called for a new age of studies for his monks and nuns, one that includes Western modern science as part of the Buddhist spiritual curriculum. One result is the Emory-Tibet Partnership, a program in which Emory University science professors teach Buddhist monastics in India.

In this hour, host Carole Hallundbaek discusses the program at length with Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi, and Dr. Arri Eisen - the Director and a leading professor of the Emory-Tibet scientific initiative. Topics include: the
beginnings of the program; cultural challenges; the forming of a curriculum; the similarities between Buddhism and science; isolation and integration in the modern world; the mutual relationship between the scientists and the monks; whether the monastics' spiritual beliefs would be challenged by empirical science; the role of empathy and compassion in health studies; and more.

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In this fascinating hour Carole Hallundbaek speaks with Dr. Asma Afsaruddin, Islamic scholar and author of the book The First Muslims: History and Memory. Among topics discussed: Afsaruddin's journey as an Islamic scholar and woman; her research and discovery of the true nature of the early Muslim community---how it was pluralistic, inclusive of Jews and Christians and possessing gender equality; how these aspects changed over time, and why; the similarities between the early Christian and Islamic communities; the original meaning of the word 'jihad' and how it has been 'hijacked'; the recent apology of the Danish newspaper Politiken to the descendants of Mohammed for reprinting a derogatory cartoon; the way forward together; and more.

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This hour offers an exploration of religious luminaries who have broken through denominational and cultural barriers in their spiritual growth and left us remarkable literary guidance toward inter-religious peace. Selections include Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh ("Living Buddha, Living Christ"); thirteenth century Sufi mystic Rumi and his poetry about Moses and Jesus; author Sylvia Boorstein ("That's Funny, You Don't Look Buddhist") as she reconciles being both a Buddhist and a devout Jew; Thomas Merton ("The Corner of 4th and Walnut"); and more.