Kwok ’n’ Roll

Is God Really Omnipotent? The Open & Relational Theology Answer

What if everything you learned about God's power is incomplete — or even wrong? In this conversation, Kwok Pui Lan sits down with Thomas J. Oord to explore one of the most provocative questions in contemporary theology: is God truly all-powerful? Drawing on open and relational theology and process theology, they challenge the traditional doctrine of divine omnipotence and ask what it means to reimagine God as one who is deeply relational, responsive, and present in the midst of suffering. In this episode, we explore:

• What open and relational theology actually teaches — and why it matters now

• How process theology reframes divine power not as control, but as love

• Why the traditional view of an all-powerful God struggles in the face of injustice and pain

• What a relational God means for faith communities, especially those on the margins

• How postcolonial perspectives reshape our understanding of God's power and vulnerability This is theology that doesn't just stay in the academy — it speaks directly to how we pray, grieve, resist, and hope.

Dr. Thomas Oord's recent book is A Systematic Theology of Love, vol. 1, God and Creation.

Feminism and Jewish Identity in a Time of War

In an era of intense conflict, the intersection of Jewish identity and feminist principles has become a battleground. This video explores the unique challenges facing Jewish feminists — from reinterpretations of scripture to the political weaponization of antisemitism.

In this conversation, Dr. Judith Plaskow, a pioneer in Jewish feminist theology, discusses the origins of Jewish feminist theology and why Jewish feminists cannot ignore theological questions. While she has criticized anti-Judaism in Christian feminist thought, she explores the crucial difference between anti-Judaism and antisemitism. She shares how the wars in Iran and Gaza prompted her to rethink Jewish identity, especially during this year's Passover.

As one of the co-founders of the Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, Dr. Plaskow discusses changes of feminist scholarship in religion and the challenges of making the journal fully inclusive — incorporating contributions from women of color and international scholars.

A scholar and activist, Dr. Plaskow also reflects on her work supporting incarcerated women and her ongoing commitment to reproductive justice.

Dr. Judith Plaskow is the author of Standing Again at Sinai: Judaism from a Feminist Perspective.

The Deadly Sins of White Christian Nationalism and the Iran War

Why does the Christian Right call the war against Iran a “Holy War” – and what does that reveal about the soul of White Christian Nationalism?

In this conversation, Dr. Carter Heyward – feminist theologian, pioneer of lesbian theology, and one of the first women ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church, USA –  breaks down the Seven Deadly Sins of White Christian Nationalism, including the lust for omnipotence, sin of entitlement, white supremacy, misogyny, capitalist spirituality, domination of earth and its creatures, and violence.

Drawing from her book The Seven Deadly Sins of White Christian Nationalism: A Call to Action, Heyward calls Christians to name these sins – and act. She traces the roots of LGBTQ+ theology from the 1970s to today, explores how transgender theology is transforming our understanding of gender and God, and reflects on the historic installation of Sarah Mullally as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury.

We also discuss:

• How Project 2025 is dismantling democratic institutions in the name of Christian governance
• President Trump’s “king of the world” posture and what it means theologically
• The future of LGBTQ+ and transgender theology in the Church
• Heyward’s forthcoming book Cry Justice: Letters to Liberals on the Church and Politics (Fall 2026)

Decolonizing the Church: Canada's First Indigenous Female Church Moderator Speaks Out

She made history as Canada's first Indigenous female Moderator of the United Church of Canada — and her journey to get there was anything but easy.

In this powerful conversation, Rev. Dr. Carmen Lansdowne opens up about her personal story: from struggles with substance use to answering a call to ministry. Her path is one of resilience, faith, and radical transformation — and it has everything to do with why she leads the way she does. She was the first Indigenous woman to serve as moderator of the United Church of Canada from 2002-2025.

We dive into the ongoing struggles of First Nations peoples within the Church and in Canadian society at large — and what it truly means to decolonize a faith institution from the inside out.

But this conversation goes beyond the church walls. Recorded during the second week of the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, United Church members were actively writing to their government and encouraging them to uphold international human rights and humanitarian law. As many Canadians grow increasingly alarmed by the prospect of a military threat from the U.S., faith communities are finding their political voice in new and urgent ways.

Rev. Lansdowne shares her exciting new project: “Church-y Conversations,” a Substack newsletter and a forthcoming podcast, “Church-y Conversations for People Who Know Things,” designed to be thoughtful resources for people navigating faith and social witness today. She is also the author of Wearing a Broken Indigene Heart on the Sleeves of Christian Mission.

Islamophobia in America: Challenges to Muslim Scholarship and Activism

Dr. Martin Nguyen is a professor of Religious Studies at Fairfield University in Connecticut. He is a scholar of Muslim theology and Islamic studies. He discusses the roots of U.S. Islamophobia and its impact on the American impression of the Middle East and the war in Iran. Since the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the hostage crisis, Americans have had negative reactions to the theocratic regime. September 11 further fueled Islamophobia, targeting Muslim individuals and communities. Dr. Nguyen’s book Modern Muslim Theology seeks to show how the Islamic tradition can help contemporary Muslims negotiate their relationships with God, with one another, and with the rest of creation. He belongs to a group of scholars interested in constructive Muslim thought and engaged scholarship, including public speaking, organizing, and empowering Muslim communities. He hopes people will educate themselves about the richness and diversity of Muslim people and recommends the following two books: Islam: A Short Guide to the Faith and Memories of Muhammad: Why the Prophet Matters.

Dr. Martin Nguyen’s books include Modern Muslim Theology: Engaging God and the World with Faith and Imagination

Christian Zionism, Palestinians, and the Attack on Iran

John and Samuel Munayer are brothers and younger Palestinian theologians living in Jerusalem. They have coedited The Cross and the Olive Tree. They shared what life is like living in Jerusalem during the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran. The war has disproportionately affected the Palestinian communities because they may not have bomb shelters. John and Samuel shared their stories of how they became interested in theology. They discussed the difference between the theology of martyrdom and the theology of survival. Even as their family suffered from the Nakba (catastrophe) of 1948, they still maintain hope for their people. They hope Palestinian Christians will remain steadfast and faithful to the Gospel, just as the olive trees survive drought and disaster. They admonish the Western churches that root for empire and encourage churches to speak up and see their problems as relating to justice for Palestinians.

John and Samuel Munayer’s book is The Cross and the Olive Tree: Cultivating Palestinian Theology Amid Gaza

 

Migration and Faith: The Connection Theologians Missed

Dr. Peter C. Phan is the Ignacio Ellacuria Chair of Catholic Social Thought at Georgetown University and a Vietnamese-American Catholic theologian. In this episode, he shares how his personal experience as a migrant has shaped his theology. In the book Christianity and Migration, Dr. Phan explores the overlap between migration studies and Christian theology. His theology of migration offers new ways of thinking about God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit in the age of migration. As a leading Asian American theologian, he encourages the next generation to pay attention to the pastoral care of Asian youths and to the relationship between the state and religion. He also shares his secret to being a prolific and productive scholar and the books he is working on.

Dr. Peter C. Phan’s newest book is Christianity and Migration: A Christian Theology of Migration.

When Faith Meets Violence: A Trauma Theologian Responds

Dr. Septemmy E. Lakawa teaches mission studies, trauma theology, and feminist theology at Jakarta Theological Seminary. She interviewed women who have experienced violence and responded to the sexual abuse of Chinese women in Indonesia. To do justice for the abused victims, she urges us to address their ruptured lives and the wounds that remain. She believes that love is still possible for these victims, but it is a kind of ruptured love. She also shares her current research on blue theology to address climate change. Since much has been done on green theology, she wants to research women’s rituals and the sea—including rituals of resistance, healing, and persistence. She is the first female full professor at her school and the author of Compassion and Trauma: A New Imagination of Christian Mission in Indonesian.