Candler School of Theology’s public theological education initiative, The Candler Foundry, is relaunching its podcast “Candler in Conversation.” A full slate of seven episodes addressing topics around ministry and entrepreneurship drops on Friday, December 16 and will be available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
“We believe that theology happens not only in seminary classrooms but also in conversation,” says Assistant Professor in the Practice of Old Testament Ryan Bonfiglio, director of The Candler Foundry. “That’s what we want to do with this podcast—create a space for the various members of the Candler community to be in conversation with one another about what matters to their faith, their vocation, and how they live and lead in the world.”
The first iteration of “Candler in Conversation” took place in 2020 as a platform for Candler faculty, staff, students, and alumni to unpack a variety of issues surrounding racial justice work. Now hosted by Cristha Edwards Lea 21T, The Candler Foundry’s coordinator of media, communications, and digital initiatives, the podcast will focus on a different theme with each new series of episodes featuring Candler students, alumni, staff, and faculty.
“In these episodes, we wanted to highlight members of our Candler community who serve in ministry while also thriving in the entrepreneurial space,” Lea says. “We hope that these conversations will both inspire and instruct those who seek to pursue new avenues or may be considering seminary as they hear real-life examples of how you can leverage a Candler degree.”
The series will feature discussions with:
- Amy Chatelaine 20T, digital chaplain at The On Being Project
- Gregory C. Ellison II, associate professor of pastoral care and counseling and founder of Fearless Dialogues
- Orlando Evans 19T, owner of Bowtie Photos, LLC, and senior pastor of Bright Star United Methodist Church in Douglasville, Georgia
- ShaCarolyn Halyard 21T, founder of Virtuous Life Coaching and Empowerment
- Lessie Johnson, first-year MDiv student and founder of The Glam Academy: Glam Theology
- Julian Davis Reid 19T, creator of Notes of Rest, and founding member of the JuJu Exchange
- Alex Revelle 21T, young people division minister at Cascade United Methodist Church in Atlanta
Listen here beginning December 16.
Photo: Jonathan Velasquez, Unsplash.com