{"podcast":{"title":"Common Threads: An Interfaith Dialogue","slug":"common-threads-an-interfaith-dialogue-450462","podcast_index_feed_id":450462,"rss_url":"https://feeds.simplecast.com/4g1jyNuN","website_url":"https://www.wgvunews.org/programs/common-threads","image_url":"https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/73e87d5a-7bcd-4521-9f32-3647c0cd2aae/c2b9340d-e286-40b9-8c87-d12eadd050a9/3000x3000/common-threads.jpg?aid=rss_feed","author":"Fred Stella","episode_count":356,"summary":"Rated as the #1 podcast on all matters interfaith by Feedspot (https://blog.feedspot.com/interfaith_podcasts/), this is a weekly program that airs on Michigan NPR affiliates WGVU and WGVK. These 2 stations cover the entire western portion of the state. The show is hosted by Fred Stella, President of Interfaith Dialogue Association, an affiliate of Kaufman Interfaith Institute, which operates out of Grand Valley State University, the license holder of both stations. Each week Fred invites clerics, authors, activists and the occasional mystic into conversation about the role of spirituality and religion in politics, world affairs, societies and individuals. The parameters are quite wide. Besides his passion for all things transcendent, Fred Stella has an extensive resume in the world of media. Since his graduation from college Fred has worked in multiple radio formats, including news/talk, where he developed his skills in the art of the interview. He also has extensive experience in TV, stage, web entertainment, audiobook narration and more. He lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-05T06:19:20.949167+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/common-threads-an-interfaith-dialogue-450462"},"episode":{"title":"Introduction to Jainism Parts 1 & 2","slug":"introduction-to-jainism-parts-1-2","published_at":"2025-08-26T17:40:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/common-threads-an-interfaith-dialogue-450462/introduction-to-jainism-parts-1-2","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/common-threads-an-interfaith-dialogue-450462","url":"https://www.wgvunews.org/programs/common-threads","audio_url":"https://cdn.simplecast.com/audio/920008cb-7530-4ec5-b363-8198629c298e/episodes/eedef0c1-d0a4-4b0d-9892-dfcb36519823/audio/f0d62d08-eb35-48c6-a6c1-c8c2553b6374/default_tc.mp3?aid=rss_feed&feed=4g1jyNuN","summary":"As Christianity began as a sect of Judaism, Jainism was once considered a branch of Hinduism. These religions continue to share a great deal of theology, history and ritual. Yet, Jains do most often claim an identity separate from Hindus. In this episode Fred speaks with Monica Shah, Director of Education for the Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington. They discuss the intricacies of this ancient faith whose pious adherents practice \"radical\" forms of nonviolence. Theme music \"Nigal.\"","meta_description":"As Christianity began as a sect of Judaism, Jainism was once considered a branch of Hinduism. These religions continue to share a great deal of theology,…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3253,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/common-threads-an-interfaith-dialogue-450462/episodes/introduction-to-jainism-parts-1-2/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/common-threads-an-interfaith-dialogue-450462/introduction-to-jainism-parts-1-2.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}