{"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":"Nurturing Happiness Parts 1 & 2","slug":"nurturing-happiness-parts-1-2","published_at":"2026-04-03T04:05:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/common-threads-an-interfaith-dialogue-450462/nurturing-happiness-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/media/audio/transcoded/96e30b20-ca9e-4071-ba4a-f751e99bb46b/920008cb-7530-4ec5-b363-8198629c298e/episodes/audio/group/fa4014f9-5e09-4884-b75d-9469a7b2a250/group-item/86aac420-5c51-4fe4-ac14-9e926a028e17/128_default_tc.mp3?aid=rss_feed&feed=4g1jyNuN","summary":"In these episodes Fred speaks with Professor Robert Wuthnow about his book, ‘Nurturing Happiness: How Religion Shapes Emotional Practice.’ His research explores how religious institutions in America have historically managed and shaped their followers' experiences of happiness, viewing it not just as a feeling but as a social and emotional practice. He argues that religious leaders use their authority to define what constitutes \"proper\" happiness, distinguishing it from worldly pursuits, and create social spaces (like revival meetings or church socials) where these emotions are cultivated, managed, and expressed according to specific rules. Wuthnow examines this through historical examples, from colonial-era ideas of heavenly joy to modern concepts of spiritual play, revealing an ongoing tension between strict religious rules and the encouragement of joy. Bio from Oxford University Press: Robert Wuthnow is Professor of Sociology Emeritus at Princeton University. He is also an elected fellow of the American Philosophical Society, an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Guggenheim Fellowship recipient, former president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, and the recipient of numerous awards for his scholarly work. Theme music \"Nigal.\"","meta_description":"In these episodes Fred speaks with Professor Robert Wuthnow about his book, ‘Nurturing Happiness: How Religion Shapes Emotional Practice.’ His research ex…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3354,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/common-threads-an-interfaith-dialogue-450462/episodes/nurturing-happiness-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/nurturing-happiness-parts-1-2.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}