The Reformed Journal Podcast

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Nathaniel Schmidt about his poem “Anti-Hero,” based on Matthew 26:52. Nathaniel A. Schmidt is an ordained minister in the Christian Reformed Church of North America and serves as a hospice and hospital chaplain. He holds degrees from Calvin Theological Seminary, Calvin University, and The University of Illinois, Springfield. His newest poetry collection, Transfiguring, is out from Whippenstock.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Mary Grace Mangano about her poem “Desert Eyes.” Mary Grace has worked as a middle and high school English teacher in several major cities and has published freelance and creative writing. She received her MFA in Creative Writing at the University of St. Thomas in Houston as an inaugural Gioia Family Fellowship recipient and as a member of the first cohort to graduate from the program. Currently, she is an adjunct professor teaching a first-year course on the Catholic intellectual tradition at Seton Hall University.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Rev. Dr. Harold J. Recinos about his poem “Butterfly.” Harold is professor of church and society at the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. A cultural anthropologist, he specializes in work and ethnographic writing dealing with undocumented Central American migrants and the Salvadoran diaspora. He has published numerous articles, chapters in collections, and written major works in theology and culture, including ten collections of poetry. His most recent collections of poetry, all published by Wipf & Stock, are No Room (2020), Wading in the River (2021), After Dark (2021), The Days You Bring (2022)—nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in poetry—The Looking Glass (2023), and Tell Somebody (2023). Rev. Dr. Recinos’s poetry has also been featured in Anglican Theological Review, Weavings, Sojourners, Anabaptist Witness, The Arts, Afro-Hispanic Review, and Perspective, among others.

In this episode of the Reformed Journal Podcast, book review editor Deb Van Duinen interviews Jennifer Holberg, professor of English and department chair at Calvin University, co-director of Calvin's Center for Faith and Writing, and frequent writer for the Reformed Journal. Jennifer discusses her recently published book, Nourishing Narratives: The Power of Story to Shape Our Faith.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Bill Stadick about his poem “Nominal APR as Call to Worship, or the Glorious Application of the Immutable Rule of 72 to the Words of the Prophet.” Bill has published poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction in The Christian Century, The Windhover, Relief Journal, The Ekphrastic Review, First Things and other publications. His poetry chapbook, Family Latin, is available from Finishing Line Press and selections of his work appear in two anthologies: In a Strange Land: Introducing Ten Kingdom Poets, available from Wipf and Stock as part of its Poiema Poetry Series and Taking Root in the Heart: A Collection of 34 Poets from The Christian Century, available from Paraclete Press.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews Julie L. Moore about her poem “Harlem Sunday.” A Best of the Net and eight-time Pushcart Prize nominee, Julie is the author of four poetry collections, including, most recently, Full Worm Moon, which won a 2018 Woodrow Hall Top Shelf Award and received honorable mention for the Conference on Christianity and Literature's 2018 Book of the Year Award. Recent poetry has appeared in African American Review, Image, Quartet, Sojourners, SWWIM, Thimble, and Verse Daily. Learn more about her work at julielmoore.com

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Sydney Lea about his poem “250th Anniversary: Newbury Congregational Church.” Sydney was Poet Laureate of Vermont from 2011-2015. In 2021, He received Vermont’s highest artistic distinction, The Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts. In 2022, he published Seen from all Sides: Lyric and Everyday Life, a collection of newspaper columns on poetry, composed during Lea’s laureate tenure. He is the author of 16 collections of poetry and in early 2024, his collection of personal essays, Such Dancing as I Can, will appear, and later in the year, his second novel, Now Look.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Sarah Reardon about her poem “The Waiting Room.” Sarah teaches at a classical Christian school in Philadelphia and is pursuing an MFA from the University of St. Thomas Houston.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Jill Baumgaertner about her poem "Ash Wednesday.” Jill is Professor Emerita of English and former Dean of Humanities and Theological Studies at Wheaton College. She is also poetry editor at The Christian Century. She has recently published a poetry collection called From Shade to Shine: New Poems, and an anthology called Taking Root in the Heart.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Andrew Lansdown about his poem “Among Autumn Maples.” Andrew is a widely published and award-winning Australian writer. His most recent books are: Distillations of Different Lands, Kyoto Momiji Tanka: Poems and Photographs of Japan in Autumn, and Abundance: New and Selected Poems.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma talks to Jacob Schepers about his poem “The Quiet-Out-Loud.” Jacob Schepers is a writer and professor at University of Notre Dame. He is the author of A Bundle of Careful Compromises, and his writing has appeared in or is forthcoming from such places as Verse, The Common, The Fanzine, Entropy, Tupelo Quarterly, and The Destroyer, among others.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Jessamyn Rains about her poem “Journey of Monarchs.” Jessamyn is a homeschooling mom of four who writes and makes music. Her writing appears and is forthcoming in several publications, including Dappled Things and Kosmeo Magazine, which she helps to edit. You can also listen to her music on her YouTube channel.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews Kevin LaTorre about his poem “True Believer.” Kevin is a poet and writer living with his family in North Carolina. His work has appeared in The Blotter, Echo Literary Magazine, Walter Magazine, Ad Fontes, and the Front Porch Republic. He writes about poetry, Christianity, and literature at kevinlatorre.substack.com.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews D.S. Martin about his poem "Sidewalk Cracks (Metaphysicals V)" inspired by John Donne's 19 Holy Sonnets. Don is a widely published poet and the Poet-in-Residence at McMaster Divinity College. He's also a series editor for the Poiema Poetry Series. You can listen to “Garden,” the first poem in this series in The Reformed Journal Podcast. You can also read the other poems in this series on our website.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Kimberly Phinney about her poem “There is a Door.” Kimberly is a national award-winning educator, English professor, and professional photographer. She studied at Goddard’s MFA program in Creative Writing. After surviving severe illness in 2021, she’s earning her doctorate in counseling to help the marginalized and suffering. Visit her literary community at www.TheWayBack2Ourselves.com and on Instagram @thewayback2ourselves.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews Richard St. John about his poem “Jobless Too Long: Variations on a Theme by Milton.” Richard is a nationally-published poet whose newest collection of poetry, Book of Entangled Souls, was published in June 2022. He received degrees in English from Princeton University and the University of Virginia. He lives in Pittsburgh with his wife.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Paul J. Willis about his poem “Red-Flowering Currant.” Paul is a retired professor of English and the author of seven collections of poetry. His most recent poetry collection is Somewhere to Follow.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Laura Reece Hogan about her poem “Coalsack Nebula.” Laura is the author of Litany of Flights, O Garden-Dweller, and I Live, No Longer I. "Coalsack Nebula" was originally published in America Magazine and will appear in a collection called Butterfly Nebula from the University of Nebraska Press on October 2023.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews Justin Lacour about his poem “Happy Lent.” Justin lives in New Orleans and edits Trampoline: A Journal of Poetry. He is also the author of the chapbook, Mr. Gravity’s Blue Holiday.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews Lynn Domina about her poem “Lost Fragment from an Interview with Her Maid.” Lynn is the author of two collections of poetry, Corporal Works and Framed in Silence, and the editor of a collection of essays, Poets on the Psalms. Her most recent book is a collection of reflections, Devotions from HERstory: 31 Days with Women of Faith. She is a professor of English at Northern Michigan University and is Creative Writing Editor of The Other Journal.

Jeff Munroe interviews Charles Marsh about his latest book, Evangelical Anxiety: A Memoir. Charles is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia and Director of the Live Theology Project. They discuss Charles’ upbringing in an evangelical family and culture in the South during the late 1960s, as well as his mental health journey as an adult.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews Cole Hartin about his poem “The Fog.” Rev. Cole Hartin is Rector of St. Luke's Church in Saint John, New Brunswick and lives near the Bay of Fundy, on Canada's East Coast. His popular writing and commentary has been published by Christianity Today, The Toronto Star, Huffington Post, and other places.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews Angela Alaimo O’Donnell about her poem “Merton’s Surprise.” Angela is a writer, poet, and professor at Fordham University in New York City where she teaches English, Creative Writing, and American Catholic Studies. She has written 10 books of poetry.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews Mischa Willett about his poem “Psalms Too.” Mischa is the author of two critically-acclaimed books of poetry: The Elegy Beta and Phases, and is editor of Philip James Bailey’s epic Festus. He teaches in the English Department at Seattle Pacific University and in its MFA program in Creative Writing.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews Marjorie Maddox about her poem “The 200 Pagan Students of St. Cassian of Imola.” Marjorie has published fourteen collections of poetry and is Professor of English and Creative Writing at Lockhaven University. This poem is part of her newest poetry collection entitled Begin with a Question from Paraclete Press.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews Seth Wieck about his poem “Hawk Lies Down with Rabbit.” Seth was born in Texas and received his BA in English and philosophy from West Texas A&M University. In 2018, he won the Rash Award in Fiction from the Broad River Review. He lives in Amarillo with his wife and two sons and teaches high school literature.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews D.S. Martin about his poems inspired by John Donne's 19 Holy Sonnets. These poems will appear on the 4th Tuesday of each month on The Reformed Journal Podcast. They discuss “Garden,” the first poem in this series. Don is a widely published poet and the Poet-in-Residence at McMaster Divinity College. He's also a series editor for the Poiema Poetry Series.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews Sara Kyoungah White about her poem “The Soul of my Cat.” Sara is a writer and an edtior, whose articles, essays, and poems have appeared in publications like Christianity Today, Ekstasis, and The Banner. She has a BA in English Literature from Cornell University and currently serves on staff with the Lausanne Movement as senior editor and content strategist. You can find her work at https://sarakyoungah.com/.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews Matthew J. Andrews about his poem “Mary Cradles Her Child.” Matthew is a private investigator and writer. He is the author of the chapbook I Close My Eyes and I Almost Remember, and his poetry has appeared in Rust + Moth, Pithead Chapel, and EcoTheo Review, among others. He can be contacted at matthewjandrews.com.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews Sarah (Kalthoff) Sims about her poem "Blackberry Blood." Sarah is originally from the Midwest but has moved to the Pacific Northwest. She is a Master of Fine Arts candidate at Seattle Pacific University. You can find her recent work in Opus Literary Magazine, Collision Magazine, Ekstasis Magazine, and her website https://thepleasanttrees.wordpress.com/.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews Jane Zwart about her poem "In Excelsis Deo." Jane's poems have appeared in Poetry, TriQuarterly, and Threepenny Review, as well as other journals and magazines. She also reviews books, writes the occasional essay, and interviews other writers. She teaches literature and writing at Calvin University, where she also co-directs the Calvin Center for Faith & Writing. 

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews Sean O’Neill about his poem “Leaning.” Sean O’Neill was born in Scotland, but has lived in the US for the last 15 years. He has published fifteen books of poetry and two books of light verse. He is also the author of the best selling book, How to Write a Poem: A Beginner's Guide. When Sean is not publishing books, he is translating Italian and French books into English. You can find more of his work at http://seanoneillwriter.com/.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews L. Ward Abel about his poem “Litter Me.” L. Ward Abel’s work has appeared in hundreds of journals including a nomination for a Pushcart Prize, and he is the author of three full collections and ten chapbooks of poetry, including his latest collection, The Width of Here. He is a reformed lawyer, he writes and plays music, and he teaches literature. Abel resides in rural Georgia.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews Ann Iverson about her poem “Grief." Ann is a writer and artist.  She is the author of  five poetry collections:  Come Now to the Window by the Laurel Poetry Collective, Definite Space and Art Lessons by Holy Cow! Press; Mouth of Summer and No Feeling is Final by Kelsay Books. Her poems have appeared in a wide variety of journals and venues including six features on Writer’s Almanac.  Her poem "Plenitude" was set to a choral arrangement by composer Kurt Knecht. As a visual artist, she enjoys the integrated relationship between the visual image and the written image.  Her art work has been featured in several art exhibits as well as in a permanent installation at the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital.  She is currently working on her sixth collection of poetry, a book of children's verse, and a collection of personal essays.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews John Terpstra about his poem “Canadian Summer Psalm 23.” John is a poet and non-fiction writer residing in Canada, as well as a long time furniture maker and carpenter currently working on practicing retirement. Check out his poetry collections In the Company of All and Wild Hope, and find out more about John at http://johnterpstra.com/.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews Kate Bolt about her poem “Miracle.” Kate Bolt is a recipe writer who has published two cookbooks. She also started a blog that ended up being a catering business. Kate lives in Holland, Michigan with her husband, three kids, and golden retriever.