CORH Values

Recent CORH graduate Angela Stieber talks about her experience doing a Master's in Religious Studies at Rice University. We cover what it is like to go to graduate school, feminist approaches to religious studies, gnosticism and her thesis on reception theory and the story of Eve in the Bible.

How can studying Religion help you navigate our diverse and complex society?  A panel of future, current and former students discuss how learning about the religions of the world helps to understand a wide range of issues in society today. Topics covered include religion and psychology, healthcare, the prison system, sexuality, business and many more. Join Sarah Gagnebin, Alexandra Kriz, Morgana Gorre-Clancy,   Esther Stearns and Mike Jimenez as they discuss these important topics. The event was co-hosted by California State University, Chico and American River College. 

Recent Humanities Graduate Yuliana Calvillo Solis speaks to us from Paris where she is pursuing a Master's Degree in Diplomacy and International Law at the American University. We talk about her thesis work at CSU Chico analyzing medieval French and Spanish epic poems that deal with the relations between Christians and Muslims. Then we cover International Law and examine the rights of refugees in light of the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine. What exactly is involved in the process of seeking asylum? What obligations do the receiving countries have under the relevant conventions? 

We spoke with Spencer McNairn who graduated from the Religious Studies program at CSU, Chico in 2021. He is now a student at Syracuse University in New York working on his Master's degree in the esteemed International Relations program there. We talk about the role of religion in International affairs, and explore ways in which it can both bring people together but also create rifts. We look at the role of religion in life today around the globe, explore the importance of diversity, and talk about Spencer's experiences travelling in Asia and Latin America.  

Dr. Jason Clower talks with us about the key role of Fire in the Vedic rituals and imagery of Ancient India and we examine how Buddhists refigured that central metaphor. We then think about the role of Fire in China and look at the tradition of self-immolation that has been part of Buddhist practice in the region for some time, culminating with the Monks who have burned themselves in Tibet recently to protest Chinese policies there. 

Dr. Sarah Pike, who researches New Religious Movements and Environmental Activism, talks to us about Burning Man, a week long Art, Creativity and Self-Expression Festival that takes place each year in the Nevada desert and culminates in the burning of a human effigy that many attendees see as a deeply spiritual experience. We talk about the roots of the festival, what it means to people, and how it updates some ancient rituals that have been part of the human experience since time immemorial.  

In August 2021, the United States left Afghanistan after twenty years of conflict and nation building only to see the fledgling democracy fall into the hands of the Taliban. I look in detail at this geo-political conflagration with Dr. Yousefi and examine the roots of Islamism and its effects on the shape of the modern Islamic world. We also delve into the history of Afghanistan, the complicated ethnic makeup of the region, and the mistakes that have been made by the occupying powers over the years.

Philosopher Dr. Randy Larsen, who fled the Camp Fire that devastated Paradise in 2018, talks to us about some Native American attitudes towards the Environment. We discuss how they have traditionally dealt with fire, and examine their conceptions of the relationship between humans and the natural world. Dr. Larsen also discusses the life of naturalist and preservationist John Muir and suggests ways that his insights are relevant to us today.

Dr. Jason Clower joins us to discuss the history and theory of social justice in Asia and in particular China. We look at Confucian ideas of Human Rights, differences in conceptions of the just society in China and India, racism in Modern China and other parts of Asia, and the history of slavery in the region. 

Professor Vernon Andrews, author of Policing Black Athletes talks to us about the motivations underlying Colin Kaepernick's decision to kneel during the anthem and addresses more broadly the question of Black celebrities and social justice activism. We talk about the fraught history of Blacks in America and examine some of the historical reasons for racial tension and distrust in America. We look forward to hearing from you at dveidlinger@csuchico.edu

Greg Cootsona, a widely published author on Religion and Science and Director of ScienceForTheChurch.org talks with us about the surprising history of eugenics in America and the ways that science and religion have been used to both justify and challenge its legitimacy. We look at how these ideas became connected to Racism more generally, and explore how Darwin's ideas about evolution through natural selection have been twisted to support harmful practices that do not acknowledge the full humanity of all people. 

Chris Crews talks about social justice movements in contemporary times. We discuss how social media and other digital technologies are affecting the shape of these movements, and examine the role of religion in both motivating people to fight and justifying oppressive structures. We compare the dynamics in today's America to those of the 1960s and highlight an awareness of intersectional identities as one of the differences.

Is it possible that Religion spreads in a way similar to a virus?  How can Richard Dawkins' idea of Memes help us to understand how Religions evolve and spread in a way analogous to genes?  Do chance developments play an outsized role in the success or demise of religions just as they do in the evolution of biological organisms?

East Asia expert Jason Clower discusses the state of healthcare in China and assesses the role of Communism in fostering the current healthcare situation in the country. We also discuss Traditional Chinese Medicine, its efficacy and the conceptions of the body that underlie it, and move on to a broader discussion of Qi and the Yin-Yang complex. 

We are joined by Dr. Andrew Flescher of SUNY Stony Brook who talks about the ethical problems that arise in a pandemic. How do we decide whom to treat? How do we balance our rights as individuals against the welfare of the community? What are the weaknesses of a money-based healthcare system? 

We speak to Sarah Gagnebin, M.Div who teaches in our Religious Studies program and has worked as a chaplain for many years in various settings. How does the Covid Pandemic affect healthcare workers? What role do Religion and Spirituality have in the difficult situation we currently find ourselves in? 

In this first episode we will look at some basic questions in religion and the humanities. We explore the debate over what exactly these terms refer to and we provide a background that will help listeners understand the questions that we will be dealing with in future episodes.