Every time I speak with Dr. Erica Brown, I come away enriched by her deep thinking and religious and emotional sensitivity. And this conversation, which delves into psychological and theological questions surrounding anxiety, hope, gratitude, and faith, may be our most memorable discussion yet.

The Thanksgiving holiday takes place later this week in the United States; three days later, Erica’s newest book, Morning has Broken: Faith After October 7th, will be released. Those two events, along with the continued fighting in Gaza and Lebanon and on other fronts, were the impetus for what I found to be a deeply moving conversation. We talked about how to deal with despair, finding hope in the midst of tragedy, the idea of faith deposits, how grief and pain are sometimes the price of love, learning how to acknowledge God in good times just as we sometimes question where He is when things are difficult, and the difference between optimism and hope. We also talked about having faith in people as well as God, the ways that Israelis and Jews living outside of Israel often misunderstand each other, the pitfalls of unity and why its absence can lead to anger, and much more. 

I’m so honored that Erica agreed to be a guest on the podcast again, and I am sure that you will find this interview to be emotionally resonant, as I did.

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Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com