In a time marked by wars, migratory crises, natural disasters, famines, and politics of death, we are aware that “where we do and when we do our theology matter.” And we choose to do our theology as we follow Jesus in the troubled roads of our world, platforming and engaging some of the most brilliant theological leaders on the front lines.
This is a podcast by Scholar Leaders. For more information, visit https://www.scholarleaders.org/ (https://www.scholarleaders.org/).
Latin America is a land of extremes. It is the continental region with the highest percentage of Christians in the world in relation to total population, warm with many vibrant cultural identities, yet deeply scarred by pervasive corruption, brutal violence, and abysmal economic disparity.
César Lopes knows these extremes all too well. For three decades now, he has served Latin America through theological education – not as an end in itself but as a means for the transformation of the people and communities he loves.
In this episode, César reflects on his journey from chemical engineering student to theological educator – and on why he believes theology must be done from life and for life.
Join this conversation about faith on the roads of Latin America!
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César serves as president of the Comunidad de Estudios Teológicos Interdisciplinarios (https://www.ceticontinental.org/portal/) (CETI by its Spanish abbreviation). He earned a PhD in Educational Studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) in Illinois, USA, with a scholarship from Scholar Leaders.
7 May 2026
What Displacement Does to the Human Soul with Kevin Yau
What happens to a person's inner world when they are displaced from home, community, and belonging? How does trauma reshape the way we relate to God, to ourselves, and to others? And what does spiritual formation look like in the midst of deep suffering?
In this episode, we sit down with Kevin Yau, current Leader Studies recipient and faculty member at Asian Theological Seminary whose work focuses on trauma, spiritual formation, and the wellbeing of refugees and low-income communities across Southeast Asia.
Drawing from his clinical and community-based work, Kevin reflects on what displacement does to the human soul, the complex relationship between trauma and faith, and why healing is rarely as straightforward as we imagine. We talk about post-traumatic growth, the tensions surrounding hope and recovery, the church's relationship with mental health care, and the spiritual practices that can sustain people through suffering and uncertainty.
Grab a chair and join us at the dialogue table with Global Church theological leaders!
25 Mar 2026
Helping the Church Respond to Domestic Abuse with Hepziba Arputharaj
Across South India, Hepziba Arputharaj has observed a troubling pattern in marriages, including Christian ones: women suffering in silence from verbal abuse, financial control, psychological manipulation, and varied forms of nonphysical violence.
Recent reports confirm the scale of the crisis: nearly 89% of women in Indian Christian homes experience one or more of these forms of abuse. Nevertheless, they often go unnamed and normalized within society and the Church.
Hepziba is currently completing PhD studies in contextual theology at Asbury Theological Seminary focused on this issue and how the Church can respond to it.
We sit with her to hear about her journey, ministry work, and what her research has revealed so far. Join us in this conversation!
10 Feb 2026
Understanding the Bible Through the Lens of Displacement with Dr. Milton Acosta
We're excited about kicking off a new season of Faith on the Road with a rich conversation on theology and displacement with Dr. Milton A. Acosta.
Dr. Acosta is a professor of Old Testament and chair of the Biblical Sciences Research Group at la Fundación Universitaria Seminario Bíblico de Colombia (FUSBC).
14 Oct 2025
The Future of Theological Education with Dr. Tite Tiénou
In our season finale, Christopher M. Hays and Evan Hunter talk with premier African theologian Dr. Tite Tiénou about the future of theological education. Drawing from decades of leadership and ministry across Africa and North America, Dr. Tiénou reflects on what first drew him to theology, the mentors who shaped his vision, and the challenges theological institutions face today.
This is a podcast of Scholar Leaders. For more information, visit https://www.scholarleaders.org/ (https://www.scholarleaders.org/)
25 Sept 2025
Trained but Untransformed: Rethinking Spiritual Formation in Theological Education
For years, church leadership scandals have made us ask: Are seminary students being trained but untransformed? In this episode of Faith on the Road, we sit with Dr. David Wang, Cliff and Joyce Penner Chair for the Formation of Emotionally Healthy Leaders and Professor of Psychology and Spiritual Formation at Fuller Seminary, to talk about spiritual formation—why theological education as it currently stands often falls short, how trauma shapes students and clergy, and why lament belongs at the center of worship.
Dr. Wang draws from his global research and experience to offer a vision of formation that is holistic, relational, and incarnational—one that takes both spiritual and human development seriously. This conversation is a timely reminder that theological education is about more than training minds; it’s about transforming lives.
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Scholar Leaders is honored to be a partner in the Global Formation Project (https://www.globalformationproject.com/). Learn more about the project, meet the partners, and explore publications & resources here (https://www.globalformationproject.com/).
9 Sept 2025
Serving God Under Siege with Valentyn Syniy
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Valentyn Syniy, president of Traviski Christian Institute.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, TCI found itself directly in the army's path. The invaders seized the seminary, even turning its library into a waste dump. Thankfully, by then, Valentyn had already managed to led his students and faculty to safety. While still refugees themselves, they turned to help others. They risked their lives to evacuate the elderly, deliver medicines to the wounded, and provide food and shelter to those in need.
Valentyn reflects about his family's story of faith and we talk about his upcoming book, Serving God Under Siege (https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802885692/serving-god-under-siege/), which collects many of these experiences.
A message from our sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by Eerdmans, publisher of Serving God Under Siege (https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802885692/serving-god-under-siege/) by Valentyn Syniy. Part memoir, part wartime theology, part call to courage – this is essential reading for anyone who refuses to look away from the cost of faithfulness in a broken world. Preorder (https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802885692/serving-god-under-siege/) your copy today.
26 Aug 2025
Teología Indígena en Abya Yala con Jocabed Solano & Dr. Gene Green
¡Este es nuestro primer episodio completamente en español! En el mismo, conversamos con Jocabed Solano, hija de la nación Guna, panameña, actual Scholar Leader, y directora de Memoria Indígena (https://memoriaindigena.org/) acerca de el quehacer teológico desde las comunidades indígenas de Abya Yala (nombre con el que muchos pueblos originarios designan al continente americano).
También contamos con la presencia y sabiduría del Dr. Gene (Eugenio) Green, profesor emérito de Nuevo Testamento de Wheaton College. El Dr. Green sirvió por 13 años en República Dominicana y Costa Rica, y ha estado envuelto en iniciativas y proyectos liderados y al servicio de comunidades nativo americanas en Estados Unidos y Canadá.
Nuestros invitados exploran cómo el pensamiento cristiano desde comunidades indígenas surge de contextos donde los valores de la reciprocidad, lo holístico, la comunidad, la tierra y los ancestros son centrales para la fe. Reflexionan sobre las profundas heridas del colonialismo y la urgente necesidad de prácticas reparadoras dentro de la iglesia que nos permitan no solo imaginar, sino actualizar un futuro teológicamente justo.
Este es un podcast de Scholar Leaders. Si quiere conocer más acerca de nuestro trabajo, visite (https://www.scholarleaders.org/)scholarleaders.org (http://scholarleaders.org) (https://www.scholarleaders.org/).
12 Aug 2025
Doing Theology in a War Zone: Palestine/Israel and Ukraine in Dialogue with Dr. Yohanna Katanacho & Taras Dyatlik
What does it mean to do theology when your homeland is under siege? In this episode of Faith on the Road, we bring evangelical Palestinian Israeli theologian Dr. Yohanna Katanacho and Ukrainian theological leader Taras Dyatlik to discuss how they approach theological work and living in their contexts.
From the streets of Nazareth to the cities of Ukraine, their dialogue bridges two contexts of conflict, exploring how they reflect theologically about suffering, how the global Church can respond faithfully, and how local believers wrestle with the call to forgive and seek justice.
This is not a conversation about war as an abstract idea – it's about lived reality, spiritual courage, and the unshakable belief that God is present even in the darkest valleys.
A message from our sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by Eerdmans, publisher of Serving God Under Siege (https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802885692/serving-god-under-siege/) by Valentyn Syniy. When Russia invaded Ukraine, a seminary president led his students and faculty to safety and kept their mission alive. Part memoir, part wartime theology, part call to courage – this is essential reading for anyone to refuses to look away from the cost of faithfulness in a broken world.
Preorder (https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802885692/serving-god-under-siege/) your copy today!
This is a podcast of Scholar Leaders. For more information, visit https://www.scholarleaders.org/ (https://www.scholarleaders.org/).
30 Jul 2025
Doing Theology in a War Zone (Palestine) with John Munayer
What does it mean to do theology in the midst of violence, displacement, and loss? In this episode of Faith on the Road, Palestinian theologian John Munayer shares about his life and work in the context of war and occupation.
We recorded this conversation in late April, and we are releasing it as the world marks 77 years since the Nakba and 1 year and 9 months since the October 2023 Hamas attacks. In that time, we have continued to witness unspeakable and disproportionate violence in Gaza, including the deliberate starvation of its people. We encourage listeners to approach this conversation with open hearts, mindful of the pain and the deep hope held together in John's words.
A message from our sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by Orbis Books, publisher of The Cross and the Olive Tree: Cultivating Palestinian Theology amid Gaza (https://www.amazon.com/Cross-Olive-Tree-Cultivating-Palestinian/dp/1626986347). This powerful volume is essential reading for anyone who refuses to look away from the cost of faithfulness in a broken world. Preorder your copy here (https://www.amazon.com/Cross-Olive-Tree-Cultivating-Palestinian/dp/1626986347).
15 Jul 2025
[Re-release] Doing Theology in a War Zone (Ukraine) with Dr. Ivan Rusyn
What does it mean to do theology amid war? In this episode of Faith on the Road, we speak with Dr. Ivan Rusyn, president of Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary (UETS), about the lived reality of theological education in Ukraine during ongoing conflict.
Dr. Rusyn reflects on how war has reshaped the questions theologians must ask, the role of the Church in times of crisis, and what faithful witness looks like when bombs fall and communities are displaced. This is a conversation about resilience, hope, and the urgent relevance of theology in the hardest places.
Why are we re-releasing this episode?
We are re-releasing this episode as the official start of our four-episode mini-series "Doing Theology in a War Zone," exploring how faith and theology are lived out amid the ongoing crises in Ukraine and Palestine.
A message from our sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Eerdmans, publisher of Serving God Under Siege (https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802885692/serving-god-under-siege/) by Valentyn Syniy. When Russia invaded Ukraine, a seminary president led his students and faculty to safety and kept their mission alive. Part memoir, part wartime theology, part call to courage—this is essential reading for anyone who refuses to look away from the cost of faithfulness in a broken world.
Preorder (https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802885692/serving-god-under-siege/) your copy today!
This is a podcast of Scholar Leaders. For more information, visit https://www.scholarleaders.org/ (https://www.scholarleaders.org/)
1 Jul 2025
Prophetic Voice and the Global Church with Dr. Ruth Padilla DeBorst & Kazusa Okaya
What is a prophetic voice, really – and why does it matter for Christians around the world today?
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Ruth Padilla DeBorst (Costa Rica and broader Latin America) and Kaz Okaya (Japan) to talk about:
- How they understand and embody prophetic voice
- The unique challenges and insights of speaking truth in contexts of injustice
- What the Western church can learn from the prophetic witness of the church in the Majority World
Join us for an honest conversation that will challenge and inspire you wherever you are on your faith journey.
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Read Kaz's article "Lausanne and the Voice of the ‘Flies’: Concerns From a Majority World Church Leader. (https://churchleaders.com/voices/exchange/lausanne/497826-lausanne-and-the-voice-of-the-flies.html)"
Read Nathanael Somanathan's article "A Sri Lankan’s Reflections on L4 and Integral Mission. (https://churchleaders.com/voices/exchange/lausanne/498131-a-sri-lankans-reflections-lausanne.html)"
Both Kaz and Nathanael are current Leader Studies (https://www.scholarleaders.org/leaderstudies/) recipients.
Learn more about who we are and what we do at Scholar Leaders here (https://www.scholarleaders.org/).
26 May 2025
Doing Theology in a War Zone (Ukraine) with Dr. Ivan Rusyn
Dr. Ivan Rusyn discusses the reshaping of theological questions during wartime in Ukraine, highlighting the Church's role and faithful witness amid conflict in an interview with Faith on the Road.
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