Adventist Voices by Spectrum: The Journal of the Adventist Forum

Filmmaker Kyle Portbury talks about his film, The Hopeful, which tells the early Adventist story for any audience. The film premieres on 900 cinema screens across North America on April 17 and 18. Kyle shares how the film came to be and some details about the aestheic and narrative choices he made. The Hopeful is the true story of a community whose lives were transformed as they learn what it means to truly wait for Jesus. This sweeping drama, set in 19th century New England, invites audiences of all ages to imagine how hope can change the world.  In this story the audience sees blossoming the seeds of a new global movement of faith—the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Get tickets here: The Hopeful

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On March 27, 2024, “Testament: Story of Moses” premiered on Netflix. Spectrum correspondent Kevin McCarty interviews series producer Kelly McPherson about the docudrama approach. By using a docudrama (documentary and drama) approach, the viewer is led through the Exodus account in a vivid fashion, while also receiving wisdoms and insights from passionate scholars, theologians, and historians. These speakers represent all three traditions that hold Moses as a prophet, being the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic faiths.

By engaging with the story in this manner, McPherson hopes to cause emotional responses in the viewer. For those who may not already know the story to see the enduring quality of it, showing why it still speaks to something within us to this day. And to add new layers and surprises for those who think they might know this epic story.

Grounded in the humanness of Moses, this fresh look into one of the most epic stories of all time brings together many elements of storytelling in a new way. The result is an incredible journey for both newcomers and those returning to Moses’ story.

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Historian and retired university president Eric Anderson discusses next steps after the Ellen White working conference last fall at Pacific Union College. He discusses the meanings behind the joint statement and makes an argument that appreciating her writing as devotional offers Adventists a way forward.

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This is the third in a three-part series on Sex, Love, and Purity Culture. This episode focuses on next steps in growth and development past Purity Culture. Sofia, Ari, and Kendra are joined by Ezrica Bennett, who graduated with a BS in Biology from Oakwood University. She recently received a Princeton University grant for her ministry work with young adults at Loma Linda University Church.

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This is the second in a three-part series on Sex, Love, and Purity Culture. This episode focuses on the creation of purity culture as well as the history and political ideology behind it. Sofia, Ari, and Melodie are joined by Christina Cannon, who studied at Wycliffe Hall/ University of Oxford and graduated in 2023 in the Scholars Program at Southern Adventist University with a BA in History.

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This begins a three-episode conversation about the history, theology, and personal impact of purity culture. Although rooted in socioreligious mores that pre-date the term, purity culture emerged in the 1990s as an evangelical Christian cultural movement. It continues to influence Seventh-day Adventist understandings of dating and marriage, sexual expression and gender identity as well as female modesty and male headship.

This limited series, “Sex, Love, and Purity Culture,” introduces our next-gen video podcast called Youth Group which seeks “to look without prejudice at all sides of a subject, to evaluate the merits of diverse views, and to foster intellectual and cultural growth.” That is also a quote from the founding mission statement written on the opening page of the inaugural issue of a journal named Spectrum over fifty years ago. That commitment to creating community through conversation continues today with:

Kendra Arsenault, who studied International Development & African American Studies at UCLA and earned an MDiv in Professional Chaplaincy from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University. She has created several popular podcasts and works at Stanford University Medical Center.

Ari Bates studied film at Southern Adventist University and is the Creative Director of Aberration Film Studios in Portland, Oregon.

Sofia Lindgren graduated in 2023 with a BA in Business Administration from Pacific Union College. She is Spectrum’s Office Manager.

Melodie Roschman earned her PhD in English from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Her dissertation is on “Identity, Counternarrative, and Community in Progressive Christian Women’s Memoir.” She was editor of The Student Movement at Andrews University and graduated with a BA in English and Journalism in the J. N. Andrews Honors program.

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Seventh-day Adventist judge Daniel Nsereko has lived a remarkable life: from humble beginnings in a small rural village in Uganda, to the highest levels of international law in The Hague where he served as a judge on the International Criminal Court (ICC). In this interview he shares his educational and professional journey as well as the moment his ethical consciousness was awakened.

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Pastor Claval Hunter leads the Berean Transformation Center, a Seventh-day Adventist Church in South Bend, Indiana. He shares how engaging his community on social and political issues transformed his congregation and added missional energy and baptisms.

Born in the Bahamas, Pastor Hunter served as the Director of Urban Ministries for the Lake Region Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. He is currently serving as Associate Director of the Andrews University Center for Community Change. He holds a BA in Ministerial Theology from Oakwood University and a MDiv degree from the Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary.

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I interview Hanz Gutierrez about his retracted theological teaching endorsement by the General Conference’s International Board of Ministerial and Theological Education. Gutierrez is a longtime Spectrum columnist and chair of the Systematic Theology Department at the Italian Adventist Theological Faculty of Villa Aurora. He recently wrote about the lack of communication and process in this surprising move by the IBMTE and we discuss his experience and his ideas in this special episode.

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In the gritty neighbourhoods of Sydney, Australia, Nimrod faced the stark challenges of racial discrimination. Battling racial profiling and mistreatment by white law enforcement, his refuge came when he was invited to his white girlfriend's church. It was within this community that Nimrod discovered God hadn't abandoned him; instead, the church embraced him completely. Fuelled by these transformative experiences, Nimrod dived into theology, ultimately becoming a pastor and currently leading at Church in the Valley.

“They bought into my leadership because I learned in university that you can’t truly be who you are when you get out into ministry. Because it’s governed by white men, it’s led by white men, and as a Samoan, there’s no conference where I look at and there’s been a Samoan president, we’re rare, so you can’t dream for that because you don’t see it [in Australia].”

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Elizabth Pule started her career journey aimed at becoming a lawyer, when an unexpected mission call changed her mind. With support from the Ontario Conference she attended Andrews University to then return to her home church as a pastor. Having had various opportunities as a chaplain, and ministry director, Elizabeth now pastors at the College Heights Church located on the Burman University campus.

“I do believe the inclusion of all individuals who are neurodiverse is so important to the body of Christ. We can’t ignore what the Bible says about every single one of us has been gifted a specific role and gift, and we all matter in that body of Christ. I do believe there are forgotten parts in the body of Christ. We need to amend that.” 

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The Iron Claw (2023) director and writer Sean Durkin talks with Alexander Carpenter about the meaning in his film. In theaters now, the saga of the Von Erich professional wrestling family stars Zac Efron as he seeks to break the tragic curse of his name. The film includes a heaven-like scene of fraternal reunion, and Durkin discusses the mythological references as well as why he thinks wrestling helps us understand the human condition.

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Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Alex now serves as Sligo Church’’s senior pastor. He came to understand God from among diversities of cultures around him while seeing church as a community of God in location. In his academic work and leadership role, Alex seeks to celebrate his past and honour his mother as sources of identity. 

“Part of being human gives us the complexity to say maybe religion isn’t just reading something or understanding it, but it’s smelling it, it’s tasting it, it is moving or non-movement and that the world is truly such an enormous neighbourhood.”

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Growing up in Kenya, Jeanne was confused by God’s calling into pastoral ministry, as she never knew women could be any kind of church leader. With time spent in the USA during her university years, Jeanne came to see the unique ways God equips people for the work He has planned. Returning to Kenya with her Ph.D in urban planning and development, yet choosing instead to be known as pastor Jeanne.

“I’m so grateful to God that He took me out of the environment in which I was raised. I loved the environment I was raised in, because it created a wonderful, strong foundation for me in my Adventist faith. However, I was a good Adventist, but I was not a good Christain, and there’s a great distinction between the two.”

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Growing up in Washington State, Anthony saw two very different cultural sides to Adventism. With a move to Seattle so his father could pastor a mainly black church, Anthony realized how much of his image of church was based off of “white suburbia.” This awakening forced him to search out his own blackness and what it might mean to be Caribbean.

“I think this is a borderline universal fear, it’s that fear, like what if I’m myself in front of this new group of people and they don’t accept me? What if I bring my true self, as I actually am, not a projection, but the real me, will I be accepted? Will I be loved? Will I be enough?” 

Check out Anthony’s podcast as they ask “What is an Adventist?”

Seeking What They Sought

Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/seekingpodcast

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Dr. Courtney Ray started her academic career with a double major in theology and psychology, becoming an ordained minister of the Adventist church. She now works as a neuropsychologist with her private clinic in the Eastern United States, along with leadership roles within her local church and the Society for Black Neuropsychology. 

“I think that you honestly have to disconnect yourself from logic to both be an Adventist and say that women cannot be in ministry. There’s no coherent argument that allows you to hold both those things at the same time.”

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Happy Pride! I interview Floyd Poenitz, Kinship International's next president, about the organization's multi-decade ministry creating a safe community for LGBTIQ+ Adventists. Floyd shares his story of growing up conservative and coming out and discusses the incredible number of countries that have Kinship members as more and more church members around the world grow to understand their sexual identity.

We also talk about a good resource for parents from the North American Division, Kinship's current free book offer, and how Zoom in transforming LGBT+ support groups on Adventist college campuses.

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Elder Gregory L. Hoenes, PhD, Director of the West Region of the Southern California Conference, talks about his recently completed dissertation in Practical Theology at Claremont School of Theology.

Focusing on food and ecological responsibilities, Dr. Hoenes talks about how his conservative upbringing shaped his relationship to nature, how pastoring and eating out in Southern California shaped his research and spiritual practices, and how the activism of woke young people give him hope.

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Happy Pride Month! Four years ago Alicia Johnston resigned from her job as an Adventist pastor due to her bisexual identity. This week she joins me to talk about her new book, The Bible and LGBTQ Adventists: A Theological Conversation About Same-Sex Marriage, Gender, and Identity.

We discuss why she aimed her book at Adventists with a conservative hermeneutic, what's bringing her joy these days, and how folks can support her project.

Alicia's Website

Alicia's Instagram

Alicia's Twitter

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A teacher at South Bay Christian School, near Los Angeles, and a grad student at La Sierra University, Raquel Mentor is also a social media expert who has written for Spectrum.

We discuss how she survived poverty while attending university, what she loves about Adventist education, and some tips she’s learned from her social media success.

Raquel Mentor's Instagram

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I interview Chris Blake, Lead Pastor of the San Luis Obispo Adventist Church, author of numerous books including Swimming Against the Current, Searching for a God to Love, and Reinvent Your Sabbath School, professor emeritus at Union College, and former editor of Insight magazine, about how he’s putting his vision for Adventism into action.

An always fun conversation partner, we discuss what he learned playing basketball at Cal Poly, how he joined the church, his longtime advocacy for LGBT+ equality, and what he enjoys about pastoring on California’s central coast these days.

Referenced Content:

Five Beliefs - SLO Adventist Church

Justin Lee Video

When Scripture Meets Life: Book Review of Unclobber

Enough Room Film

Swimming Against the Current by Chris Blake

Searching For A God To Love by Chris Blake

Reinvent Your Sabbath School by Chris Blake

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This week Spectrum's Interviews Editor Alita Byrd shares her conversation with composer James Lee III, whose works have been commissioned and premiered by the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Chorus, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and others. His music has been played at Tanglewood and championed by famed conductor Leonard Slatkin.

Some of Lee’s biggest sources of inspiration are the books of Daniel and Revelation, the story of the great controversy, and the second coming of Jesus. Lee is a lifelong Adventist — he attended Andrews Academy and Andrews University before he went to the University of Michigan where he earned his first degree in piano performance and then his masters and doctorate in composition.

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Bonnie Dwyer, editor of Spectrum, shares key moments in her life that shaped her career as a journalist and leader in the Adventist community. Bonnie discusses her love for the local church, the key first decisions that created the iconic journal, and what she's learned from a career trusting in God and caring for community.

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Abraham Joshua Heschel, Jewish rabbi and theologian, civil rights advocate, Holocaust survivor, and champion of interfaith dialogue, is the subject of a new documentary "Spiritual Audacity," produced and directed by Martin Doblmeier of Journey Films.

On Sabbath, May 1, Doblmeier discussed the making of the documentary during a special Adventist Forum/Spectrum webinar hosted by the St. Paul/Minneapolis Adventist Forum Chapter and the Minnetonka SDA Church.

Alexander Carpenter, host of the Adventist Voices podcast, interviewed Doblmeier and was joined by Loma Linda University theologian Richard Rice, St. Paul Forum Chapter President Gary Blount, and Spectrum editor Bonnie Dwyer.

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Bonnie Dwyer, Spectrum's editor, and I interview Oscar-nominated filmmaker Tomm Moore, director of The Secret of the Kells (2009) about his new animated movie, Wolfwalkers available to watch via Apple TV. The story takes place in 1650 and follows a spirited Irish girl who fights the control of civilization and finds transformative friendship and spiritual power in the forest among a pack of wolves.

We discuss Irish mythology, the beauty of Tomm Moore's hand drawn animation style and how stories connect humans to deeper spiritual truths.

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Richard Osborn, PhD, talks about his missionary upbringing, early connection to Spectrum, and how he got his start leading educational institutions. Dick, who recently retired as the Vice President of the WASC Senior College and University Commission and was the former president of Pacific Union College shares some lessons about what’s worked and what hasn’t in schools and Adventist life.

Dr. Osborn is Board Advisor/Member: Loma Linda University Health, Los Angeles Pacific University, Pacifica Graduate Institute, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, United States University, University of Silicon Andhra, Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA), Charles Weniger Foundation, NAD Higher Ed Task Force

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I interview a recent student of mine, Pacific Union College graduating senior Morgan Williamson on the state of Adventist education and the future of online learning. We discuss why Adventist and public education matters to her, how her student missionary teaching experience in Fiji influenced her career choice, as well as what she’s learned doing her student teaching online with elementary age students.

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Back from a spring break in this weekly podcast, I interview Todd Leonard, Senior Pastor of the Glendale City Church, a beautiful Adventist church that’s been a sanctuary to generations of marginalized believers.

We talk about how Todd is transitioning back to in-person worship, how he journeyed from the South to Southern California, his love for community activism, and his new podcast UnCollared https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uncollared/id1554375187  which he hosts with two other Los Angeles Christian pastors.

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This week I talk with Kaleb Eisele, creator of Humans of Adventism, about his new ten-part documentary series in which Adventists tell their stories of culture, change, miracles, etc. We also discuss the state of creativity and community-building in the church.

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I talk with my wife, Doris Tetz Carpenter, Adventist Health Human Performance Executive (Talent Strategy and Total Rewards), about the tension between the mission and business of faith-based health care. We also chat about how she moved from education to her seventeen-year career in Human Resources and how spending all day in online meetings at home has changed her ideas about work.

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Bobbi Jo Reed, the subject of the eponymous documentary, along with Brent and Donna Jones, the directing and producing team, share the inspiring story of Bobbi Jo's transformation from homelessness, addiction, and prostitution to healing hundreds of addicts in her Kansas City-based Healing House ministry.

We briefly discuss Bobbi Jo's testimony (watch the film for more) and then talk about the power of story and what hope means to the least of these in America. Healing House provides recovery housing to nearly 200 individuals every day in their thirteen private homes and two apartment buildings. Learn more about the film Bobbi Jo: Under the Influence here https://www.facebook.com/thebobbijomovie

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Spectrum’s editor Bonnie Dwyer and I celebrate 2021 by talking about what’s new and news in Adventism. We discuss the GC Session, the North American Division’s tithe story as well as trends in Zoom Sabbath Schools around the denomination. We express concern about the link between conspiracy theory religious thinking and insurrection and find hope in driving slower, upcoming Spectrum articles, and getting a vaccine to be a good neighbor.

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Continuing our legends of Adventism series, Dr. Larry Geraty shares leadership insights into his decades leading institutions like Atlantic Union College and La Sierra University. Additionally he shares anecdotes about protecting freedom of expression on campuses and speaks personally about how he finds meaning in Adventism.

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Dr. Larry Geraty shares key moments that shaped his life from his missionary upbringing, how he convinced his wife Gillian to marry him, as well as his relationship with Siegfried Horn and how he ended up studying at Harvard. In this first of a two part episode, Dr. Geraty tells the story of how Spectrum began in the 1960s.

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Pete Docter, chief creative officer of PIXAR and director of the upcoming Disney+ release of animated film “SOUL,” answers questions from me along with other Christian media representatives. He talks about the mix of spiritual language and philosophical existentialism that drives the film’s story as well as how his team infused the story with authentic African-American cultural moments.

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Book editor at Signs Publishing and prolific Adventist author Nathan Brown talks about his new book “Advent: Hearing the Good News in the Story of Jesus’ Birth.” We also discuss his own Australian Christmas tradition, favorite carol, and the state of Adventist writing.

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Reporting on recent meetings of the Society of Adventist Philosophers and the Adventist Society for Religious, Spectrum editor Bonnie Dwyer shares new ideas on Sabbath and social justice. We also discuss what’s in the new issue of the journal and what she’s looking forward to this Advent season.

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Marci Corea joins me to discuss her role as the University Outreach Coordinator for Adventist Peace Fellowship. In addition to learning more about what the org does we discuss some of what both of us recently learned on Spectrum’s Civil Rights Journey in Alabama and how growing up doing short-term mission trips inspired Marci to care about justice work.

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Father Leahy, O.S.B., headmaster of St. Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark, NJ, shares about a new documentary, executive produced by Steph Curry, that explores how his own basketball program offers personal growth, but often false social hope for young American men. We also talk about how his Catholic faith informs his social values and has fueled his decades of academic leadership as well as the history of how alumni saved St. Benedict’s by converting it into an elite school serving disadvantaged youth.

The film, Benedict Men, viewable on Quibi, follows the “St. Benedict’s boys basketball team as they strive to add another state championship to their legacy. Along the way, they uncover the true meaning of unity, selflessness, and hard work.”

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Dr. Alex Bryan, chief mission officer for Adventist Health, talks about reading a biography on every American president. We discuss his insights into the meaning of the presidency, who he learned to love, and some major lessons on leadership.

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Continuing our American politics series from last week, Vanessa Corredera, PhD, chair of the English Department at Andrews University and Courtney Ray, PhD, ordained minister and president of the Society of Black Neuropsychology, explore the problem of epistemic closure and others issues like race and abortion. Additionally, they both share very personal examples of their own social views changing.

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Lisa Clark Diller, PhD, chair of the History department at Southern Adventist University and Jason Hines, PhD, associate professor in the department of Healthcare Administration at AdventHealth University join me in a spirited debate on U.S. politics and the problems of a fragmentary civic epistemology. Approaching issues from progressive and even anarchist perspectives, they talk about what’s at stake at the Supreme Court, for folks of faith, and those who care about social justice.

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Spectrum managing editor Alisa Williams reports on global Adventist finances, electronic voting, and the changes to next year’s GC Session. We also discuss the rise of Adventist pioneer parody Twitter accounts and why they might be good for learning our history.

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With sports increasingly back from quarantine, I talk with a London-based Adventist who played semi-pro football (soccer) before returning to Sabbath observance. He shares his story of struggling with his faith, being an Everton FC fan, and how he continues to combine his love of sport and community uplift.

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Alisa Williams and Julius Nam join me to each tell and discuss stories from the less well history of Adventism. Alisa shares a story of a planted letter at the Ellen White Estate vault about a fake prophet (and attempted murderer) and Julius take us to Korea where an American missionary became an international pariah for punishing a young boy for stealing an apple.

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Three emerging filmmakers share the inspiration for their beautiful and theologically complex retelling of the Hosea Bible story. Writer and director Ryan Daniel Dobson with producers Suzanne Watson and Avril Z. Speaks talk about setting “Hosea” in Oklahoma, deconstructing the chauvinism by focusing on his wife, and focusing on the divine in sensuality, art, pain, and relationships that redeem.

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I talk with Adventist Health + Rideout president Rick Rawson about how COVID-19 and mitigation controversies have impacted his community. We also discuss the conclusions he learned from racial health inequalities and how “defunding” healthcare offers hope for the future.

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Adventist Forum board chair, Carmen Lau, shares about how her white Southern Adventist upbringing blinded her to the realities of racism. We also talk about “Spectrum’s early history” with the Civil Rights movement and the plan for a group of Adventists to visit Alabama next month to learn more about that history of social justice.

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Bonnie Dwyer, editor of Spectrum, talks about the latest issue of the journal, including the Black Lives Matter articles and the focus on science and art. In addition, she discusses the controversy surrounding Doug Batchelor's Amazing Facts walkback on accepting government money.

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This documentary, The Right Girls (2020), is about transgender women from Central America traveling in a caravan to the US border I talk with co-producer Amador Jaojoco about how design and activism work together.

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Winner of the U.S. Documentary Competition Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, “Boys State” explores a thousand member annual effort to form a representative government for a week in Texas. In my interview with the husband and wife directing team, Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine, we explore the unexpected ideologies and personalities of the four boys they profile and how they created an exciting film that raises questions about power, belief, and the future of democracy.

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Ryan Parker, PhD, joins me in discussing thoughtful cultural summerfare: Palm Springs, First Cow, House of Leaves, and how major sports are handling COVID and justice. We also reflect on how Christians benefit themselves and others by engaging popular culture.

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Garrison Hayes, Pastor for Generational Ministries at Community Praise Church, and I discuss the current news of public monument removal. We examine the statues' connections to racism, specifically lynching, as well as the ways that iconoclasm creates hope.

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Dr. Tiffany Llewellyn is the founder and president of Adventists for Social Justice. We discuss its founding, the growing anti-racist activism in Adventism, and also her recent comments about misogyny in church programming.

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Bill Cork, Assistant Director of Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries for the North American Division, shares his story of moving from Atlantic Union College to Lutheranism then to Catholicism and now back to Adventism. Through that he’s worked as a chaplain and in this conversation he discusses how moral injury, social justice, and the Sermon on the Mount have influenced his rethinking of faith and military service over the years.

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For our Ministering Under Quarantine series finale, I talk with Jonny Moor, a pastor in the Oregon Conference. He spoke frankly about a call to a new church that disappeared and how his ideas about ministry have changed. A graduate of Walla Walla University, Johnny holds an MDiv from Andrews University where he is currently completing a doctor of ministry in discipleship and biblical spirituality. Jonny and his wife Heather host the Your Movie Hour podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-movie-hour/id1477500729

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Actress and film producer Bryce Dallas Howard, daughter of Ron Howard, chats about her new documentary, DADS. The film follows "six extraordinary fathers from across the globe—and some of Hollywood's most famous dads speaking about the joys and challenges of parenting." We discuss the lack of a collective rite of passage like a baby shower for men, how her own relationship with her father and her new-dad brother impacted this film, as well as how healthy families negotiate the tension between the private and the public parts of their worlds.

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In light of the George Floyd murder and Black Lives Matter activism, we discuss the need for fewer sermons about forgiveness, the pros and cons of bias, and how Adventists for Social Justice is growing. Courtney Ray, MDiv, PhD is President of the Society for Black Neuropsychology and an ordained minister of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

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Michael Gibson serves as Pastor for Young Adults at the Keene Church and adjunct professor for Southwestern’s Religion Department. We discuss how his church has found community in running a food bank during quarantine and how it's changed his style for worship. Also discussed: our shared love for the weird sport of disc golf.

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Nicholas Zork, PhD, is the minister for worship and the arts at Church of the Advent Hope in Manhattan. A singer-songwriter, composer, liturgical musician, guitarist and lecturer on topics in theology, worship and the arts, Zork shares how he's creating community in NYC with his local church as well as among his fellow musicians

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Keisha E. McKenzie, PhD., Director of Digital Strategy for Auburn Seminary, discusses the campaign to help faith communities remain socially engaged while maintaining physical distance. A thought leader in and beyond Adventism, Keisha grew up in the U.K. and completed college in Jamaica and graduate studies in technical communication and rhetoric at Texas Tech University.

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Peter Flores, a pastor in Maine, shares how he creatively ministers to his congregation under quarantine. From visitation to devotional messages, 26-year old Flores, a member of the Young Project, who also works as a "digital pastor" for his conference, opens up about the challenges and opportunities that social distance brings to Adventist ministry.

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Spectrum editor Bonnie Dwyer discusses how the current pandemic has effected Adventism. From tithe to Sabbath school, she reflects on the changes to how the church gathers at various levels and sees hope in the emerging opportunities for creativity.

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Worku is a songwriter, singer, speaker, and healthcare provider. With a voice that is both strong and soulful, Worku has forged a unique sound in the music industry. His original works defy genre categorization, somehow able to incorporate elements of many different musical styles.

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Continuing our series on media to watch under quarantine, I interview the great writer and director Scott Teems, on his new film The Quarry (2020) about a drifter who assumes the identity of a preacher. We discuss violence, Christianity, and how the main actors Shea Whigham and Michael Shannon explore the tensions in human and divine justice.

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Director Kevin Miller talks about the new documentary, J.E.S.U.S.A., produced by Adventist Forum board member Ken Peterson, that explores the relationship between Christianity and American nationalism. Spoiler: maybe it’s the violence in the dominant theory of the atonement. An evangelical, Kevin also discusses his famous film Hellbound? (2012) and why theology matters. 

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Michael Bane was 42 and in good health when he began feeling sick last month. A few days later he was in the hospital fighting for his life. Michael talks with Spectrum reporter Alex Aamodt about what his experience can tell all of us during this time, and also how he dealt with the surreal experience of a Facebook post he made from the hospital going viral at the same moment his health was deteriorating.

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Ronald E. Osborn, Associate Professor of Ethics and Philosophy at La Sierra University, and host Alexander Carpenter discuss Albert Camus’ 1947 novel “The Plague.” Can the narrative parallels and its philosophical perspective provide insight into our current coronaviral reality? Join us as we all try to survive #AloneTogether. 

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For your sheltering-in-place needs, special guest George Nolfi talks about his newest film, The Banker, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Mackie. We also discuss why Nolfi changed from academic pursuits in philosophy and political science to filmmaking, how he researched, wrote, and directed this latest work, and its themes of race and class.

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Loma Linda University medical students, Martha Duah and Adrienne Green, discuss their bioethics project, a podcast called “A Medical History of Color.”  (Add link: https://ccbpodcasts.podbean.com/e/a-medical-history-in-color-one-root-deep/

We talk about racism in healthcare, their career plans, and how the coronavirus pandemic is effecting med students right now.

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Recorded at the recent Spectrum conference Sammy Reyes, a former pastor, shares ideas for connecting imagination and inspiration to create a more humanistic and generous spirituality.

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In the context of this summer's GC Session Jason Hines discusses his latest column on the Spectrum website. In addition to pondering the possibility and meanings of unity, we talk about the recent Adventist Forum conference and its focus on identity.

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Legendary scholar, administrator, and former board chair of Adventist Forum, Charles Scriven gets passionate about the Bible. We discuss why Jesus is key to understanding the whole Bible, the ways that an historical hermeneutic helps, and how he really appreciates Paul.

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Ray Tetz, director of communication and community engagement for the Pacific Union Conference, explains what "noncompliance" means vs. what matters. He also details the union's new media initiatives and why he's hopeful about Adventism in the west.

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Yale Divinity student, Matthew Korpman, discusses growing up idolizing Adventist evangelists, how La Sierra University challenged him, and the controversial argument in his new book: Saying NO to God: A Radical Approach to Reading the Bible faithfully.

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The conductor laureate Herbert Blomstedt discusses his strict and musical Adventist upbringing, his favorite hymns and the changing landscape of hymnals, why he pursued a career as a conductor, and what concerts he has in store.

Born in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1927, Herbert Blomstedt moved with his family to Sweden in 1929. His mother, a pianist, gave him his first musical training. this led him eventually to the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and to the University of Uppsala. Herbert Blomstedt is in constant demand as a guest conductor and had led many of the world's greatest orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, and Philadelphia Orchestra.

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Back to 1969, I read the first four poems to appear in Spectrum: poets include Ben Jacques, Isaac Johnson, James Londis, and Freidrich Nietzsche. Additionally, in memory of Dr. Richard Ritland, I read from the first exploration of science and faith by him to appear in the journal.

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Prolific author Dr. Ron Osborn talks about current issues in Adventism, reads aloud from his book Death Before the Fall, and opens up about his experience with writer's block.

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We kick off the new year with Dan Weber, director of communication for the North American Division. We discuss why diversity is the future of NAD health, his personal experience with life changing mission service, and Kings basketball.

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In our final podcast in 2019, Bonnie Dwyer, the editor of Spectrum, and Alexander Carpenter reflect on the year in Adventism including Annual Council and recent scholarly work on the 1919 Bible conference. We also look back on the year for Spectrum and draw attention to some major investigative reporting as well as hint at what Spectrum will be doing in 2020. Finally, we reflect on the Advent season and the spirit of giving.

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A figure in Adventist social media for over a decade, The Adventist Caricaturist reveals a little about his denominational past, laugh about Headship Bobbleheads and #GossipJuice, as well as reflect on the role of satire in the Adventist community. To protect the caricaturist's identity, we used a voice-masking app so apologies for any oddities with the audio. 

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Dr. Sydney Freeman, Jr., is an associate professor at the University of Idaho. He is founder and editor-in-chief of The Journal for the Study of Postsecondary and Tertiary Education.In this episode I speak with Dr. Freeman about his passion for black authors, a black theology within adventism, and the concept of a Black Adventist Identity Development.

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Retired Southern Adventist University president Gordon Bietz shares his vision for a North American Division Higher Educational System

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I chat with Dave Ferguson, Director of Church Relations for Seventh-day Adventist Kinship International, an organization for current and former Adventists who identify as LGBTIQ+.

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Alisa Williams, Managing Editor for the Spectrum website, reviews the North American Division Year-End Meetings.

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Dr.Jaime Kolwessar serves with his wife Carlene, and two daughters, as a pastor of the City Temple Sda Church in Dallas Texas. He is widely known as the “Seventh-day Activist” due to his passion and commitment to social justice advocacy in the church and community. In this episode we discuss Dr. K’s views on social justice within an Adventist theological framework, women’s ordination, his writings and practical steps churches and individuals can take to engage justice work!

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Andrews University president Andrea Luxton, PhD, joins Adventist Voices to discuss the state of her institution as well as the broader future of higher education. We converse about her love for John Milton as well as how schools can welcome diversity-seeking students, what questions board members should ask, and why there's hope despite the recent Annual Council actions.

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This week Adventist Voices talks with Matt Gal, Regional Director of Population Health and Capitation Management for Adventist Health. He explains this emerging focus in corporate healthcare, how it engages local communities, and what about it forwards Adventist mission.

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Bonnie Dwyer, Spectrum editor, draws from her decades of Annual Council reporting to set the stage for this meeting of General Conference Executive Committee. She provides background on who will be present, the four major topics to watch, and why it all matters.

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Bryant Rodriguez shares how he went from studying theology at Southern Adventist University to becoming the Digital and Social Media Strategist for McKee Foods Corporation, the maker of Little Debbie snacks. We discuss how he blew up the internet as an intern, the tensions between health-conscious Adventist values and making Cosmic Brownies, the "voice" of Little Debbie, and how Bryant stays connected to Adventist ministry.

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We kick off a new series focused on Adventist education with Richard Osborn, PhD, Vice President for WASC Senior College and University Commission. Previously, he was President of Pacific Union College and an education administrator for the North American Division. Based on his current work accrediting educational institutions around the Western United States and his work on an NAD commission, Dr. Osborn shares his unbridled concerns about the direction of Adventist higher education and offers some models for how it might change for the better.

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In our third episode of the "Road to the General Conference Session" series I chat with our social media stars from the last one: Rachel Logan and Alisa Williams. We laugh a lot remembering the 2015 session. We also discuss the role of Twitter and independent journalism, and they provide some survival tips for first timers.

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This week I talk with Nat Kofi Abu Bonsrah, the Emergency Response Planning Manager for the Adventist Development and Relief Agency's response to Hurricane Dorian damage to The Bahamas. He very passionately shares some early observations from the ground, briefly opens up about how he became involved with ADRA, and gets very specific about how folks can help.

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This week Leslie Foster connects art and spirituality, being a church elder and a Burning Man temple guardian. A graduate of Southern Adventist University, Leslie is a Los Angeles-based experimental filmmaker and a current member of the Torrance Art Museum FORUM residency program. An activist and longtime leader at an Adventist community, he shares his journey and explores why pauses in participation can be faith restoring.

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Vanessa Corredera, PhD, joins Adventist Voices to talk about growing up crossing borders, her Andrews University course on Shakespeare and Race, and how understanding intersectionality helps Adventist identity. Dr. Corredera will be one of our presenters at the 2019 Adventist Forum conference on Labor Day weekend.

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I chat with Humans of Adventism creator Kaleb Eisele about his hometown of Indianapolis, the site of the 2020 General Conference Session. We discuss the culture of Indiana Adventism, how GC attendees can better understand urban contexts, as well as hospitality insights from his recent visit to Oregon camp meeting.

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In this episode of Adventist Voices, I ask Adventist Forum boardmember Jason Hines about his recent column for Spectrum "Liberation and Reconciliation. We discuss Black Liberation Theology, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa, and how Adventism might address the race-based inequalities in our community. Jason Hines teaches at AdventHealth University in Orlando, FL. He holds a doctorate in Religion, Politics, and Society from Baylor University, a Master’s in Religion from the Seminary at Andrews University, a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School, and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from the University of Connecticut

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Our Adventist Voice this week is the prophetic Michael Nixon, Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion at Andrews University. We discuss race, Adventist identity, his work with Ty Gibson on Against the Wall, as well as Michael's background as an attorney and the son of a pastor. He will be at our Adventist Forum conference, leading a panel discussion on Youth, Ethnicity and Adventist Identity on Aug. 31.

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This week I talk with someone I've been shooting the breeze with for several decades: Ronald Osborn, Associate Professor of Ethics and Philosophy at La Sierra University. We talk about our top three books of the Bible, The Brothers Karamazov, the HBO series Chernobyl, the current film The Farewell, and other light summer fare.

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