Design and Religion
We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread love, empathy, and charity faster than divisiveness, selfishness, and hate. To achieve this, we aim to bring the stories of those driving this change—both big and small—into the spotlight, allowing ideas for positive transformation to spread quickly and reach those who need them most.
Episodes
22 episodes
Diversity PT1
In this part one, of two-part episode, Rev. Edwin Estevez, joins Nate, and Van and shares his experiences growing up in diverse environments and discusses the cultural significance of sharing food, the impact of technology on human interaction,...
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Season 2
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Episode 22
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52:47
Activism
Rev. John Molina-Moore joins Nate and Van in discussing preaching and the finer points and pitfalls of encouraging action. The conversation explored the balance between comfort and challenge in sermons, the importance of addressing contemporary...
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Season 2
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Episode 21
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44:52
Designer Perspective
Van and Nate discuss Van's perspective as a designer on the art of preaching, comparing it to trial lawyers' persuasive techniques. Van begins to share his thoughts on what he believes for both clergy and design perspectives, mentioning contras...
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Season 2
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Episode 20
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23:05
Craft
Rev. Dr. Adam Hearlson joins Van, and Nate to discuss the craft and challenges of preaching, the importance of balancing responsibility and creative risk-taking, and the role of storytelling in conveying lessons. They cover the importance of eq...
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Season 2
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Episode 19
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59:10
Interpretation
How do listeners, participants, and colleagues receive the key points we need them to? Van wears the "participant hat" and gives feedback about what he experiences during many sermons. Nate and Van also explore the challenges of preparation, au...
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Season 2
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Episode 18
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39:42
Fear
Nate and Van once again welcome Rev. Dr. Jason Santos to discuss their fears and experiences, dealing with anxiety, and the concept of safety as a tangible reality of needs. They also explore the idea of redesigning religion and the balance bet...
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Season 2
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Episode 17
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1:03:51
Faith
Jared Spool joins Nate and Van to share his preference for atheism and they pragmatically discuss how designers and clergy rely on faith to communicate, promise results, and persevere in the average day-to-day.
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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58:54
Leadership
Whitney Hess, a leadership coach, joins Nate and Van to discuss leading with love and compassion. The importance of questioning our leaders and creating hope in the face of adversity. They highlight the fear of being perceived as weak when choo...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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45:43
Survival
Adam Ernster, a practicing Recovery Coach (for several well-known clients whose names have been omitted), joins Nate and Van to discuss his personal experiences with survival, self-awareness, trauma, and the impact of early life events on self-...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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58:30
Special Episode: Tenacity of Love Sermon
In February of 2012, Nate preached a sermon about how Van met his wife, two months before their wedding. In this special episode, we get to hear that message of tenacity and love.
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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21:30
Love
Van welcomes Rev. Philip Jones to discuss the concept of love and its application in their respective fields. Van, who facilitates groups and educates people on design and problem-solving, saw a connection between loving God and loving one's ne...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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58:28
Redesign (The Plan)
Nate and Van discuss the rough plan for "redesigning" religion, focusing on the small steps and changes within the Protestant Church and the idea of breaking down the work by conducting a variety of six-week series on small topics. This would e...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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38:18
Resilience
Nate and Van discuss resilience and its relationship with self-compassion and faith, and its importance in overcoming personal struggles and finding one's identity. They also touch on the challenges of self-acceptance, the role of religion in p...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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22:36
Psychological Safety
Nate and Van discuss the importance of psychological safety in personal and professional relationships. They also explore how technology influences teamwork, technology's impact on human interaction, and the significance of creating a learning ...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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45:46
Redesign (Intro)
In this brief episode, Nate has an ambitious and inspiring idea for where this podcast should focus.
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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7:28
Nature
Christine Fischer joins Nate and Van to share how nature inspires her approach to design and design education. They cover the value of expertise, the impact of technology on design, and the importance of imagination and creativity in problem-so...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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40:15
Change
How do we create positive human change? Where have we seen organizations and ourselves fail to change? Nate and Van discuss the complexities of change, particularly in the context of the long-term effects, the need for authenticity, and the cha...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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43:27
Gamification
Rev. Dr. Jason Santos visits us to discuss the intersection of game design and practical theology, the importance of adapting strategies in both religious practices and organizational systems, and the role of identity formation for youths in a ...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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43:35
Service
Nate and Van discuss the concept of service, its importance in religious commitments, service design, and 12-step fellowship, and its impact on personal growth and community, especially for today's youth. They explore the role of churches and t...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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35:59
Listening
Nate and Van discussed the challenges of being present and attentive in unexpected and emotionally taxing situations, emphasizing the importance of self-care and preparation. They also explored using "physical keys" to guarantee listening durin...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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37:52
