The Forum Podcast

Breaking Barriers: On Black Women in Pastoral Ministry | Dorothy Jenkins

In this episode of the Forum Podcast, Dr. Dorothy Jenkins discusses her dissertation exploring the ministry journeys of Black women in pastoral ministry. Drawing from interviews with women pastors, Dr. Jenkins identifies faith, support, and opportunity as essential factors for breaking through barriers in ministry.
She shares with Doctor of Ministry's program director, Jeff Sajdak:
Her personal call to ministry and educational journey
Challenges faced by Black women preachers, including marginalization and lack of opportunities
The importance of mentorship, community, and prophetic affirmation
Her prophetic word to the church: “Show grace and unify – it’s not about us, it’s about God.”
Encouragement to women considering seminary or doctoral studies to “do it and grow deeper in God’s Word and work.”
➡️ Listen and be inspired by these powerful stories of resilience, calling, and faith.

Faith, Work, and Worship | Cory Willson

In this episode of the Forum Podcast, Dr. Cory Willson, Professor of Missiology, World Christianity, and Public Theology at Calvin Theological Seminary, shares his powerful journey of faith – from growing up in a small evangelical church in California to becoming a leading academic voice. He opens up about how losing his place on the college soccer team led him into a season of darkness that deepened his faith and ministry calling. Dr. Willson reflects on his mentors, including Richard Mouw and Doug McConnell, who shaped his theological and missiological vision. He unpacks the heart behind his book Work and Worship, exploring how the work we do throughout the week deeply connects with Sunday worship and discipleship.
Cory also discusses the importance of lament in the Christian life and how churches can better integrate it into worship. He shares about his work with the Institute for Mission, Church, and Culture, equipping believers to live out their priestly calling in the world. Finally, he offers a glimpse into his upcoming book that will focus on discipleship in daily life. If you’ve ever wondered how your faith, work, and worship integrate, this conversation will both encourage and challenge you.

Smartphones and Spiritual Health | Jeff Sajdak and Aaron Einfeld

When's the last time you checked your smartphone? Does the mere mention of your phone make you reach for your pocket? If your use of your smartphone borders on addiction, you're not alone.
Calvin Seminary held what we called a "Smartphone Retreat", a week-long series of exercises and practices designed to help us answer the questions “how much and how well do we use our smartphones?” and “what are the positive and negative effects they have on us?” Jeff Sajdak, Dean of Students, and Aaron Einfeld, Director of Lifelong Learning, planned and facilitated the week. Our then Educational Technologist, Nathan Bierma, talked to them about why they started the smartphone retreat, based off a TedTalk by Manoush Zomorodi and her book "Bored and Brilliant", and what they learned.

John Calvin: The Church and Politics | Matt Tuininga

How can the church speak into a time of bitter partisan divisions? How can we be a redeeming presence in politics? How can the insights of John Calvin guide us even today?
Dr. Matthew Tuininga, Professor of Moral Theology and the History of Christianity at Calvin Seminary, asked these questions in his new book, Calvin's Political Theology and the Public Engagement of the Church: Christ's Two Kingdoms (Law and Christianity). Tuininga spoke with Kevin den Dulk, the then director of the Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics at Calvin University. Let us listen in to that conversation.

Loving Your Neighbor with Dementia | Mary Vanden Berg

It is estimated that 50 million people around the world suffer from dementia. Individuals with dementia lose the sense of who they are, as their cognitive and behavioral functioning diminishes. Their loved ones who care for them are faced with a slow and agonizing decline which takes a physical, emotional, and financial toll on them.
How can we show the love of Christ in the midst of this loss? How can we view life and death in a way that might go against North American culture? Mary Vanden Berg, Professor Emerita of Systematic Theology at Calvin Seminary, addressed these questions at our first Loving Your Neighbor Today Conference.

The Legacy of Mary Magdalene | Jennifer Powell McNutt

Dr. Jennifer Powell McNutt is a renowned church historian, theologian, and professor at Wheaton College, specializing in the history of Christianity from the Reformation through the Enlightenment. In this episode of The Forum Podcast, she joins host Leah Jolly, MDiv student at Calvin Seminary, to discuss the legacy of Mary Magdalene and how historical misconceptions have shaped our understanding of her role in the church. Dr. McNutt unpacks why reclaiming the true biblical narrative of Mary matters, especially for women in the church today. They also explore broader themes of church history, biblical interpretation, and what the past can teach us about faith in the modern world. Don’t miss this deep and thought-provoking discussion on Scripture, theology, and the role of women in the church.

Pastoral Theology at the Margins | Danjuma Gibson

The Museum of African American History and Culture and the Holocaust Museum are devoted to telling stories that risk being forgotten or overlooked or even ignored. They also deal with stories of trauma, loss, and profound grief. Dr. Danjuma Gibson took a class to Washington, D.C., to see these museums and wrestle with questions about oppression and suffering in a class entitled Pastoral Theology at the margins.
Gibson is Professor of Pastoral Theology, Care and Counseling at Calvin Seminary. He sat down with Geoff Vandermolen, Director of Vocational Formation and Co-Director of the Doctorate of Ministry program at Calvin Seminary. Together, they reflect on these experiences and their impact on those who participated.

From Canada to Calvin | Karin Maag

In this episode, Leah Jolly, MDiv and ThM student at Calvin Seminary, sits down with Dr. Karin Maag to discuss Maag's reception of the honorary doctorate from Theological University of Utrecht. Maag is the director of the Center for Calvin Studies and adjunct professor of History of Christianity and she also serves as co-director of the Master of Theology program.
This honorary doctorate recognizes her contributions to the field of Calvin and Reformation studies, especially through her work in the center for Calvin's Studies. In this interview, we learn more about her life, her entrance into the field of Calvin studies, and the ways her career has led to this honorary doctorate.

Women and the Gender of God, Hebrews, Inheritance | Amy Peeler

Dr. Amy Peeler, a biblical scholar and ordained priest, joins The Forum Podcast for a fascinating conversation on theology, Scripture, and how we talk about God. As a professor at Wheaton College, Dr. Peeler has spent years studying the book of Hebrews, exploring its themes of inheritance, sonship, and divine language. In this episode, led by Dr. Danny Daley, Associate Professor in New Testament at Calvin Seminary, she discusses how the New Testament dramatically shifts the language of God’s fatherhood and what that means for believers today. They also dive into her book, Women and the Gender of God, which examines how Scripture portrays both the fatherhood of God and the role of women in the biblical narrative. Through careful exegesis and theological reflection, Dr. Peeler challenges misconceptions and invites listeners to think more deeply about the ways we speak about God. Whether you’re interested in biblical studies, theology, or the role of women in church history, this episode offers thought-provoking insights into the richness of the biblical text.

Navigating the Paths of the Holy Land | Gary Burge

The story of Scripture is rooted in the land of Israel and Palestine. Tracing the paths of biblical history gives new depths and dimensions to our reading of Scripture. But today, Israel and Palestine lie at the center of intense conflict. Gary Burge has spent a career studying, writing about, and traveling to the Holy Land. Burge was Professor of Biblical Studies for over two decades at Wheaton College, and is an Adjunct Professor of New Testament at Calvin Seminary.
 
He continues to bring students to the Holy Land to experience it for themselves. Gary and Calvin Seminary President Jul Medenblik spoke together on the topic of the Holy Land.