Oh God Now What

Épisodes

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  A monk’s advice on misinformation 26.09.2026 30min

  How does a Buddhist monk deal with information overload and a world rife with misinformation? Brother Chân Pháp Dung gives us his techniques and insights.  Subscribe on Substack  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: @ognwprx Follow Niala on Instagram: @nialab
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  Slavery, Atonement and Forgiveness 19.09.2026 33min

  Last week on Oh God Now What, we talked about the Pope’s encyclical on AI. But buried in that encyclical was something astonishing: the church’s first direct apology for its role in the transatlantic slave trade. This week, we look at his spiritual wisdom with Dr. Shannen D. Williams. Not only has she personally grappled with what it means to be Black in the American Catholic church, it’s also her life’s academic work. Also joining us is Father Tim Kesicki, the past president of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States; their mission is one of justice and reconciliation. Subscribe on Substack  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: @ognwprx Follow Niala on Instagram: @nialab
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  A monk and a priest tackle the AI future 12.09.2026 37min

  Each week brings new scary headlines about AI. Buddhist monk Tenzin Priyadarshi Rinpoche says  Big Tech executives he has worked with lack the ‘discerning empathy’ to understand how AI will affect the masses. He is our guest along with Father James Martin, editor-at-large of America magazine. They help us navigate an industry they say has made outsourcing, efficiency, and potential “free time” God-like without us questioning if that is even a good idea. Subscribe on Substack  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: @ognwprx Follow Niala on Instagram: @nialab
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  Islamophobia, perception and what we can control 05.09.2026 48min

  In 2001, just before 9/11, Haroon Moghul was head of the Muslim Student Association at NYU, but he had not yet solidified his own relationship with Islam. Then, everything changed, and he had to navigate his beliefs when islamophobia was suddenly everywhere. He is now a chaplain at Xavier University, and offers his take on shifting the focus away from rampant islamophobia onto what we can control. Mentioned in the show: Register here for Religion News Service's event moderated by Niala, "The 9/11 Generation: 25 Years Later"  El-Sayed's interview on FOX Subscribe on Substack  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: @ognwprx Follow Niala on Instagram: @nialab
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  Making travel sacred 29.08.2026 35min

  What makes travel sacred? With so many flight delays and skyrocketing hotel prices, we look to two spiritual guides to remind us that any kind of trip can be a soul-nurturing experience — even the seemingly mundane. Phil Cousineau is a an award-winning writer, filmmaker, and travel leader. He's the author of The Art of Pilgrimage, and a new book called The Wisdom of the Odyssey: 24 Life Lessons from Homer's Epic. Rabbi Shira Stutman is a frequent traveler who hosts the weekly Jewish advice podcast, Chutzpod, about how to live life better. She's also senior rabbi at Aspen Jewish Congregation and was the founding rabbi at Sixth & I Synagogue in DC. Subscribe on Substack  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: @ognwprx Follow Niala on Instagram: @nialab
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  Can war ever be justified? 22.08.2026 44min

  The concept of a “just war" is foundational to Christianity, but lately we’ve seen it improperly used – or ignored. Even in his May encyclical, Pope Leo called the concept “outdated.”  We’ll break apart “just war" with the first rabbi to have been designated a U.S. ambassador, Rabbi David Saperstein, and with Miroslav Volf, a Croatian Protestant theologian at Yale University. Subscribe on Substack  Follow Niala on Instagram: @nialab
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  Voting your morals 15.08.2026 42min

  Should you vote for a candidate’s policies or for their character? How do we get through another midterm news cycle with our own character intact? In our debut episode, host Niala Boodhoo welcomes public theologian Curtis Chang and Rabbi Jill Jacobs. Using their expertise as religious thought leaders, they help us navigate aligning beliefs with how we vote. And they offer perspective and tools for strengthening democracy outside of high-stakes elections. Chang is the Executive Director of Good Faith, which helps politically ‘homeless’ Christians navigate a deeply divided world. Rabbi Jacobs is the CEO of T’ruah, which empowers rabbis and cantors to lead Jewish communities in advancing democracy and human rights.  Subscribe on Substack  Follow Niala on Instagram: @nialab
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  Introducing Oh God Now What 08.08.2026 2min

  If you think ‘oh God, now what?’ every time you open your news app, here’s the secret: journalists feel this way, too. Veteran journalist and host Niala Boodhoo created this show because she’s close to the stories of our time, but also passionate about religious wisdom’s ability to guide us when things are difficult. Each week, through conversations with faith leaders of all kinds, you’ll learn how religious and spiritual traditions can help us live with the news, not just survive it. Subscribe on Substack  Follow Niala on Instagram: @nialab Do you have a question or idea for the podcast? Email us at [email protected].