Clergy Wellbeing: Preventing Burnout and Promoting Self-Care



YDS faculty member and former Yale University chaplain Jerry Streets ’75 M.Div. discusses the results of his survey on clergy wellbeing, the importance of multi-faith ministry, and lessons learned from his long career as a pastor.


Black Bodies and Race in Art & Society with Imo Imeh and Daniel Swann



In this powerful episode, we consider personal and societal representations of Black bodies in art, academia and society. Our two guests, sociologist Dr. Daniel Swann and visual artist Dr. Imo Imeh, start with their revealing life journeys. Their stories tell a vivid picture filled with support and kindness from many people as they’ve navigated opportunities and challenges. At the same time, we hear the realities and anxieties that both guests encountered learning and teaching in spaces where others don’t look like them, the challenges of biases and “othering,” and the joy of finally operating as their authentic selves.

As they describe their experiences as Black men, we’ll consider what’s perceived as acceptable versus unacceptable in academic and societal settings – especially as professors and practitioners in sociology, philosophy, visual art and art history. We also delve deep into the ways our guests teach and challenge their students, their colleagues and society in a range of topics like art, representation, black trauma, culture, wealth gaps, atheism and religion.

This is a truly moving and powerful discussion that will leave you encouraged, inspired and challenged!


Transforming Obesity Treatment



Dr. Ania Jastreboff, an associate professor in medicine and pediatrics (endocrinology) at Yale School of Medicine, co-director of the Yale Center for Weight Management, and medical director of the Yale Stress Center, and President Peter Salovey discuss breakthrough medical interventions for obesity and diabetes.


Toward Freedom: The Power of Art Inside Prison Walls



Grounded in themes of tribulation, redemption, and hope, ISM Fellow and theater professor Dr. Ron Jenkins joins Ariana Hones (M.Div. ’23) in conversation on the transformational power of Dante’s Divine Comedies inside prisons. In this episode, Dr. Jenkins discusses his course, Gospel, Rap, and Social Justice, and his use of Dante’s poetry to create theater pieces with currently and formerly incarcerated people. He states, “bringing Dante and art into prison is a way of humanizing a dehumanizing situation.” Dante serves as both a mirror reflecting the injustices in our prison systems as well as a catalyst for freedom.


Ryan Darr and the Ethics of Apocalypse



In his interview with ISM M.A.R. student Madeleine Hutchins ’23, ISM Fellow and religious ethicist Ryan Darr pulls no punches in talking global climate crisis: “…we’re entering a mass extinction event, which would be, from what scientists have found about life on Earth, the sixth in Earth’s history — and the first caused by one species in particular.” Darr is a Postdoctoral Associate in Religion, Ecology, and Expressive Culture, and from 2019 to 2022 was a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Philosophy and Religion at the Princeton University Center for Human Values. He holds a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Yale University.


Ep. 50 – Australian Biologist Danielle Clode on the Extraordinary World of Koalas



Upon seeing an adorable Koala sitting on an eucalyptus branch in Australia, few would expect the beloved marsupial to emit a booming bellow to alert potential mates or rivals of its presence. But this powerful roar is just one of koalas’ many surprises, which delight and astonish in Australian biologist Danielle Clode’s new book, “Koala: A Life in the Trees.” Clode explores the enigmatic koala’s 24 million years-long saga of evolutionary adaptations, conservation triumphs, and endangerment catastrophes, and the prospects for their future following the 2019 bushfires that devastated Australia’s koala populations. We speak with Clode about the ancient ancestors, ecology, evolving relationship with humans, and uncertain fate of Australia’s bellowing marsupial.


Living buildings pioneer Jason F. McLennan on YDS Living Village and architecture for the future



Renowned sustainability architect Jason F. McLennan discusses Yale Divinity School’s Living Village complex, the relationship between religion and the environment, and his response to critics of green building.