Wide Open Spaces Podcast
76 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsThe goal of Wide Open Spaces is to build bridges between people on different sides of the political and religious spectrum through having humanizing conversations about controversial topics. New episode every Tuesday. WideOpenSpacesPodcast.com.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
E15: The Man Who Walked 24 Marathons and Fasted 44 Days ft. Tristen Durocher
May 25, 2021 04:00 - 53 minutes - 36.8 MB630 km of walking on foot. 44 days of fasting on nothing but tea. A mission to compassionately spread awareness about the suicide rates in the northern regions of Canada. On Episode 15, I speak with Metis activist and fiddler Tristen Durocher as he shares on the adventure of his 2020 summer, his experience growing up in a Northern Metis community, and his perspective on the relationship between Christianity and his Indigenous heritage. With a story that transcends political parties or relig...
E14: I Kissed Purity Culture Goodbye: A Conversation About Christian Sex Ed Gone Wrong ft. Deanna Harris
May 18, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 53.6 MBThe meeting of sex and religion is often troubling, uncomfortable, and even tragic for many of us. Does it have to be this way? Join my friend Deanna Harris and I as we have a conversation about the negative impacts of virginity-focused “purity culture” and our experiences with sex education in different Christian contexts. Is a joyful, playful, free approach to sexuality possible within the Church? Does being a virgin matter? These are just a few of the questions we tackle!
E13: How To Have Better Dialogue: Covid-19 Vaccine Edition
May 11, 2021 08:00 - 50 minutes - 34.6 MBShould you get vaccinated? Or should you not? The debate over vaccines has been a long-burning fire and it has never been more relevant with the rolling out of the Covid-19 vaccines. Many of us are spending hours of our lives engaged in heated debate over whether or not to get vaccinated and a lot of these conversations are going really badly. How do we have effective and dignified conversations about such a charged topic? How do we actually change people's minds? How do we build bridges wi...
E12: Are We Criminalizing Suffering? A Conversation About Addiction with a Social Worker ft. Denae Pellerin
May 04, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 48.4 MBDrug addiction has been a big part of my family story. It’s a part of many of our stories. So when something so personal gets discussed in the context of politics, it can become a conversation full of powerful emotions and sharp division, depending on what role you believe the law should play in addiction response. On today’s episode, I spoke with Denae about her experience working with addicted youth and her perspective on why decriminalization may, nor may not, be the best way to create sa...
E11: Fish Are Friends Not Food - A Meateater in Dialogue with a Vegan
April 29, 2021 07:00 - 56 minutes - 38.5 MBVeganism is uber-trendy right now. But is it deeper than a trend? Today I speak with practicing vegan Julie Godin about whether veganism is the "best" way to eat and about whether veganism is more than just a diet. She's a vegan. I had chicken salad for lunch. It was a great conversation! What do you think? Join the conversation for this episode on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wideopenspacespodcast
E10: Flavorful Catholicism and the Challenge of BLM with Ogechi Akalegbre
April 20, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 55.9 MBDoes the Church have a “bland culture”? Is Black Lives Matter a Marxist organization, and does it matter? These questions might seem unrelated, but in today’s episode Catholic speaker and diversity practitioner, Ogechi Akalegbre, shares her passion for creating a Christian church that is alive with cultural diversity and a passion for justice. She addresses bringing flavor to Christian culture and how concerns about the ideology of the Black Lives Matter organization do not need to cause dis...
E9: Self Care vs. Self Indulgence with Hannah Connelly
April 13, 2021 08:00 - 56 minutes - 38.8 MBIn order to build bridges with others, we need to take care of ourselves in a way that honors the dignity of our humanity. On this episode, I spoke with my sister Hannah Connelly (who has a BA in Peace and Conflict Transformation) about overcoming an eating disorder, the power of having a routine, and the importance of building bridges in the midst of struggles with mental health. What do you think? Join the conversation for this episode on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wideopenspaces...
E8: Systemic Racism and Christianity with Dr. David Moore
April 06, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 53.1 MBThe topic of racism tends to polarize people on different parts of the political spectrum. The topic of religion is also a heated topic between people. Today we speak with pastor and professor Dr. David Moore about his perspective on systemic racism in America and within institutional Christianity with the hope of building bridges across the judgements and misunderstandings between those of us who have differing worldviews. Read Dr. Moore's book, Making America Great Again: https://www.am...
E8: Systemic Racism and Christianity with Dr. David Moore
April 06, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 53.1 MBThe topic of racism tends to polarize people on different parts of the political spectrum. The topic of religion is also a heated topic between people. Today we speak with pastor and professor Dr. David Moore about his perspective on systemic racism in America and within institutional Christianity with the hope of building bridges across the judgements and misunderstandings between those of us who have differing worldviews. Read Dr. Moore's book, Making America Great Again: https://www.am...
E7: Kay Clarity: Can You Be a Thoughtful Conservative?
March 30, 2021 18:00 - 1 hour - 51.8 MBDoes conservative thought and politics have to be rigid and cold? Does the conservative movement have a heart for the suffering? Today we spoke to conservative intellectual and musician Kay Clarity about what it means to be a conservative, how to navigate conversations between conservatives and liberals, debunking misconceptions about conservative people, and the difference between what you see in mainstream media versus real life for the average person. Click here to connect with Kay and ...
E7: Can You Be a Thoughtful Conservative? ft. Kay Clarity
March 30, 2021 18:00 - 1 hour - 51.8 MBDoes conservative thought and politics have to be rigid and cold? Does the conservative movement have a heart for the suffering? Today we spoke to conservative intellectual and musician Kay Clarity about what it means to be a conservative, how to navigate conversations between conservatives and liberals, debunking misconceptions about conservative people, and the difference between what you see in mainstream media versus real life for the average person. Click here to connect with Kay and ...
E6: Ambition vs. Motherhood and the Fear of Marriage ft. Donna Darbellay
March 23, 2021 05:00 - 51 minutes - 35.5 MBIs motherhood the enemy of ambition? On today's episode, I speak with psychologist and mother of 8, Donna Darbellay, as she shares her story of being a stay-at-home mother and pursuing a career in psychology. We also talk about gender roles and how to respond when you find yourself fearful of marriage. What do you think? Join the conversation for this episode on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wideopenspacespodcast
E6: Donna Darbellay: Ambition vs. Motherhood and the Fear of Marriage
March 23, 2021 05:00 - 51 minutes - 35.5 MBIs motherhood the enemy of ambition? On today's episode, I speak with psychologist and mother of 8, Donna Darbellay, as she shares her story of being a stay-at-home mother and pursuing a career in psychology. We also talk about gender roles and how to respond when you find yourself fearful of marriage. What do you think? Join the conversation for this episode on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wideopenspacespodcast
E6: Ambition vs. Motherhood and the Fear of Marriage ft. Donna Darbellay
March 23, 2021 05:00 - 51 minutes - 35.5 MBIs motherhood the enemy of ambition? On today's episode, I speak with psychologist and mother of 8, Donna Darbellay, as she shares her story of being a stay-at-home mother and pursuing a career in psychology. We also talk about gender roles and how to respond when you find yourself fearful of marriage. What do you think? Join the conversation for this episode on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wideopenspacespodcast
E5: Protesting the Covid-19 Lockdowns ft. Reeta Ali
March 16, 2021 05:00 - 47 minutes - 32.5 MBThere are people all over Canada (and the world) protesting the Covid-19 lockdowns. Why are these protests happening? In this episode, we speak with activist Reeta Ali who shares about her organization's effort to defend civil liberties in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Are we losing our freedoms due to the lockdowns? Reeta addresses this question and many others as we speak about peaceful protest and how to be an engaged citizen in the midst of the current restrictions. What do you th...
#5: Reeta Ali - Protesting the Covid-19 Lockdowns
March 16, 2021 05:00 - 47 minutes - 32.5 MBThere are people all over Canada (and the world) protesting the Covid-19 lockdowns. Why are these protests happening? In this episode, we speak with activist Reeta Ali who shares about her organization's effort to defend civil liberties in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Are we losing our freedoms due to the lockdowns? Reeta addresses this question and many others as we speak about peaceful protest and how to be an engaged citizen in the midst of the current restrictions. What do you th...
#4: Piper and Carson - Decolonization and the Human Person
March 09, 2021 06:00 - 45 minutes - 31.2 MBDecolonization. It's a word that has a lot of baggage for many people. Maybe it hints at frustrating and complicated politics for you. Maybe it inspires hope for the future. Maybe you're not sure what it means. In this episode, I speak with folk music duo and social activists Piper and Carson about the idea of decolonization, the artful merging of music and politics, and how our perception of what it means to be a human affects what battles are important to fight. What do you think? Join t...
E4: Decolonization and the Human Person ft. Piper and Carson
March 09, 2021 06:00 - 45 minutes - 31.2 MBDecolonization. It's a word that has a lot of baggage for many people. Maybe it hints at frustrating and complicated politics for you. Maybe it inspires hope for the future. Maybe you're not sure what it means. In this episode, I speak with folk music duo and social activists Piper and Carson about the idea of decolonization, the artful merging of music and politics, and how our perception of what it means to be a human affects what battles are important to fight. What do you think? Join t...
E4: Decolonization and the Human Person ft. Piper and Carson
March 09, 2021 06:00 - 45 minutes - 31.2 MBDecolonization. It's a word that has a lot of baggage for many people. Maybe it hints at frustrating and complicated politics for you. Maybe it inspires hope for the future. Maybe you're not sure what it means. In this episode, I speak with folk music duo and social activists Piper and Carson about the idea of decolonization, the artful merging of music and politics, and how our perception of what it means to be a human affects what battles are important to fight. What do you think? Join t...
E2: My Truth Vs The Truth, The Smallest University in Canada and Anxiety ft. Dr. Walter Thiessen
February 25, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 44.8 MBProfessor of Psychology and licensed counseling therapist Walter Thiessen speaks about the smallest university in Canada and why its approach to education might be something we should all pay attention to. We also talk bout the idea of "my truth" vs "the Truth" and the epidemic of anxiety that so many of us are dealing with. What do you think? Join the conversation for this episode on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wideopenspacespodcast Check out Walter's book, Glimpses of the Good ...
E3: The Ethics of Luxury ft. Peter Van Kampen
February 25, 2021 23:00 - 56 minutes - 38.7 MBAre luxury and Christianity compatible with one another? Have Christians forgotten the poor? These are just a sample of the questions that Jenny tackles with author and speaker Peter Van Kampen as we talk about the relationship between Western wealthy lifestyles, being a Christian, and taking care of the poor. What do you think? Join the conversation about this episode on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wideopenspacespodcast Read Peter's book, Live Simply, today: https://www.amazon.ca...
#3: Peter Van Kampen: The Ethics of Luxury
February 25, 2021 23:00 - 56 minutes - 38.7 MBAre luxury and Christianity compatible with one another? Have Christians forgotten the poor? These are just a sample of the questions that Jenny tackles with author and speaker Peter Van Kampen as we talk about the relationship between Western wealthy lifestyles, being a Christian, and taking care of the poor. What do you think? Join the conversation about this episode on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wideopenspacespodcast Read Peter's book, Live Simply, today: https://www.amazon.ca...
#2: Walter Thiessen - The Smallest University in Canada, My Truth Vs The Truth and Anxiety
February 25, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 44.8 MBProfessor of Psychology and licensed counseling therapist Walter Thiessen speaks about the smallest university in Canada and why its approach to education might be something we should all pay attention to. We also talk bout the idea of "my truth" vs "the Truth" and the epidemic of anxiety that so many of us are dealing with. What do you think? Join the conversation for this episode on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wideopenspacespodcast Check out Walter's book, Glimpses of the Good ...
#1: Intro - Making Disagreement Human Again
February 24, 2021 01:00 - 15 minutes - 10.6 MBIt's time to change the culture of disagreement. Join us today as we talk about how in this era of social division, we can still have open conversations with the people we disagree with in a way that honors the dignity of every human person, no matter what they believe. And since this is our first episode, meet our host Jenny Connelly and co-host Jerome Montpetit! Sign up for our email list to get episodes directly sent to you: https://www.wideopenspacespodcast.com/ Check out Jerome's...
E1: Making Disagreement Human Again
February 24, 2021 01:00 - 15 minutes - 10.6 MBIt's time to change the culture of disagreement. Join us today as we talk about how in this era of social division, we can still have open conversations with the people we disagree with in a way that honors the dignity of every human person, no matter what they believe. And since this is our first episode, meet our host Jenny Connelly and co-host Jerome Montpetit! Sign up for our email list to get episodes directly sent to you: https://www.wideopenspacespodcast.com/ Check out Jerome's...
E1: Making Disagreement Human Again
February 24, 2021 01:00 - 15 minutes - 10.6 MBIt's time to change the culture of disagreement. Join us today as we talk about how in this era of social division, we can still have open conversations with the people we disagree with in a way that honors the dignity of every human person, no matter what they believe. And since this is our first episode, meet our host Jenny Connelly and co-host Jerome Montpetit! Sign up for our email list to get episodes directly sent to you: https://www.wideopenspacespodcast.com/ Check out Jerome's...