How can we think and dialogue constructively about problems that undermine our solidarity in the community? Professors Mark Whitters and Dan Propson interview guests who tell us about topics like spirituality without religion, loneliness in an age of instant chat, homecomings for the homeless, street life and gangs in our neighborhoods. Listening to one another’s stories goes a long way toward reconnecting and making sense of things.
Always seeking new ways to make ancient texts come alive, Mark Whitters has taught and designed award-winning "reacting" classes for many years at Eastern Michigan University. He has written more than 20 mostly academic articles on Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. The publications for his essays include Harvard Theological Review, Journal of Biblical Literature, Catholic Biblical Quarterly, Journal for the Study of Judaism, and Commonweal. He also was a lead editor for the 7-volume Encyclopedia of World History (Facts on File, 2008).
Outside the classroom, he sponsors a spiritual awareness discussion group for area college and university instructors called the Socratic Club, and has traveled many times to the Middle East and the Mediterranean world. He is a member of an ecumenical brotherhood called the Servants of the Word, whose Detroit house reaches out to youth in the neighborhoods. In his time off, he loves cooking (and good food) and still tries to keep in shape. And he prays!