Faithful Discourse with Chris Henry
Conversations at the intersection of religious faith and public life.
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Episodes
Wednesday Dec 20, 2023
Wednesday Dec 20, 2023
The world is weary. We are desperate for genuine joy. Too often, the things that drag us down seem so much more powerful than what holds us up. And then, Christmas comes. We are told that there is good news at the very center of reality because of a baby born in a borrowed room. In this episode, Chris speaks with his sons (Sam age 10; Ben age 6) about the story of Christ’s birth and what it means for a weary world to rejoice. It is a conversation filled with joy and gratitude and hope for the future. Merry Christmas!
Wednesday Dec 13, 2023
Wednesday Dec 13, 2023
Judge Sarah Evans Barker, the first woman in several prominent roles in the state of Indiana—including US Attorney, Federal Judge, and Chief Judge—shares stories from her distinguished career in the law and how the foundation of faith inspires her work. Judge Barker’s persistent sense of hopefulness is evident as she describes the leaders we must seek and be. “We’ve got to find people who understand to their bones that they don’t exist for themselves alone.”
Wednesday Nov 29, 2023
Wednesday Nov 29, 2023
In this Faithful Discourse episode, respected scholar and Professor of Sociology Andrew Whitehead, author of American Idolatry: How Christian Nationalism Betrays the Gospel and Threatens the Church, joins Chris to discuss the impact of Christian Nationalism and some faithful responses to it. Conversations at the intersection of religious faith and public life—like this one—can be uncomfortable and challenging, which is precisely why they are so important. As Andrew said in the closing moments of this episode, “Onward together.”
Wednesday Nov 15, 2023
Wednesday Nov 15, 2023
In this episode, Chris sits down with his friend and colleague, Rev. Dr. Winterbourne Harrison-Jones, pastor of the historic Witherspoon Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis, to discuss their common call to public ministry, the necessity of friendship, and the life of congregations.
Monday Oct 16, 2023
Monday Oct 16, 2023
In this conversation: Rev. Gracie Payne. Gracie, an ordained Presbyterian pastor who serves as the Director of Young Adult Engagement at Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis, shares insights into the spiritual lives of young adults and a vision for a compelling and faithful future.
Rev. Christopher Henry
Chris Henry, Senior Pastor of Second Presbyterian Church, is a gifted preacher, strategic leader, and devoted teacher who believes in the power of faithful discourse—bringing together voices from different professions, backgrounds, and beliefs to explore the intersection of faith and civic life. Chris lives out his call to congregational ministry and leads out of his conviction that churches have both the capacity and the mandate to be places of transformation in individual lives, the broader community, and the world.
Chris is a graduate of Duke University (BA in Religion) and Columbia Theological Seminary (MDiv). He served churches in Atlanta, GA, before his call to Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis in 2018. Chris is married to Rev. Sara Hayden, who serves as Director of Apprenticeships, Residencies and Leadership Cohorts for the 1001 New Worshipping Communities movement of the PC(USA) and hosts the New Way podcast. Sara and Chris met as students at Columbia Seminary and were married in 2008. They are the parents of two sons, Samuel and Benjamin.
Chris loves running long distances, coaching his sons’ sports teams, cheering for Duke basketball, reading biographies and novels, exploring the mountains of Colorado and North Carolina, and spending time with Sara, Sam, and Ben.