David DeSteno

Shamanism isn't just part of small faiths. As @mnvrsngh points out, you can find some elements of it in fast growing areas of Christianity too. On this week's episode of How God Works, we explore the how's & why's of shamanism's continued re-emergence. www.howgodworks.org/podcast/seas...

Shamans have always been with us. This week, we explore how shamanism works with @manvir.bsky.social and why forms of it pop up in some surprising places, from modern medicine and CEO culture to charismatic Christianity. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

When things are difficult, gratitude can feel out of reach. That's when it's important to remember that gratitude isn't an act of complacency. It can be an act of resistance - a way to know you matter, a way to find strength and resilience. www.wbur.org/onpoint/2025...

Link now available: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/o...

Just in time for Thanksgiving, Meghna Chakrabarti and I explore the science of gratitude, how to cultivate it (even in difficult times), and why feeling grateful isn’t just about giving thanks for the past, but about ensuring a better future. Tune in to @wbur.org / @npr.org On Point’s episode today.

Of God and Men Podcast Episode · How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality · 06/01/2025 · 51m

Here’s the episode. We explore the crisis men are facing, why some are turning to Christianity, and the benefits and dangers that can come from it, depending on what message they get. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

Orthodox Church Pews Are Overflowing With Converts

Men are facing a crisis of meaning. Many are turning to more conservative forms of Christianity to find it. But the success of that journey, and what it means for the gender divide, depends on what answers they find (and from whom). I talked with @drmoore.bsky.social
& @richardreeves.bsky.social 🧵

Religions always influenced diet. But Christian influencers like Alex Clark are taking modern diet & wellness ideas and dressing them up in theological claims, with a big one being: God doesn't want you to be fat. I talk with @jessgrose.bsky.social about it on HGW podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

Diet has always mixed with morality in religion. But today's Christian influencers are taking it to new & potentially problematic levels. I talk with @nytimes.com writer
@jessgrose.bsky.social & religious historian Catherine Newell about the history of food & faith podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

Wisdom isn’t about what you think; it’s about how you think. It’s using a set of mental tools. On this week’s episode of How God Works, we explore the science behind wisdom with @igi.bsky.social and take a look at modern & centuries old ways of cultivating it. www.howgodworks.org/podcast/seas...

When it comes to making better decisions, science backs up what St. Ignatius figured out centuries ago: distancing yourself by taking a 3rd person or other perspective helps. This week, I talk with @bostoncollege.bsky.social Father Bart Geger about seeking wisdom www.howgodworks.org/podcast/seas...

What does it mean to be wise? How do you become so? On today's episode, we explore the science of wisdom with Igor Grossmann (@igi.bsky.social) & see how some Christian traditions developed exercises for it long ago with
@bostoncollege.bsky.social Fr. Bart Geger podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

On this week’s episode of How God Works, we explore views of what it means to be spiritual. Here’s Father Greg Boyle with his: Be in the world as God would be. Do in the world what God would want you to do. Cherish each other. Don’t focus on piety. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

Is withdrawing from the world into a life of contemplation or being in the world trying to heal it the best route to growing spiritually? Turns out, as @sigalsamuel.bsky.social notes, they're not mutually exclusive. The two paths can reinforce each other. More here podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

Seeking the Spiritual Life Podcast Episode · How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality · 10/19/2025 · 28m

Does being spiritual mean withdrawing from the world to a life of contemplation, or being in the world actively trying to heal it? I talk with @sigalsamuel.bsky.social and Father Greg Boyle about this age old question and how to find balance.

Happy to say How God Works continues to be recognized as one of the best religion/spirituality shows by podcast pros. A two time @podcastacademy.bsky.social Ambies finalist and now a silver for best religion/spirituality pod from the @signalawards.bsky.social. Thanks to the team & @prx.org!

Hypocrisy and motivated reasoning run deep in politics.

This week on How God Works, we explore friendship. Right now, that includes implications of AI chatbot friends. While people report feeling more heard & valued by chatbots, that’s not what makes for a good friend philosopher Samuel Kimbriel (and Aristotle) note. www.howgodworks.org/podcast/seas...

Loneliness is on the rise. That's not news. But maybe part of the reason is: we're no longer sure what it means to be a good friend or lack tools to make it happen. I talk with Samuel Kimbriel & Robert Waldinger about what science, philosophy, and religion offer. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

Opinion | The Grace That Gives Us Hope

A beautiful essay from @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social on what a thick practice of faith is as opposed to a thin one. The latter is treating it as a label that can be co-opted by politics. The former is a practice requiring grappling with a faith’s true meaning.

Essay | The Power of Prayer After a Mass Shooting When innocents are murdered, calls for prayer may seem useless, but it’s one of our best tools for overcoming grief and fear.

While many understandably criticize calls for prayer after mass shootings in the absence of changes to gun laws to prevent harm, they miss the point that prayer has value for all affected by such tragedies - one that science backs up. My latest for
@wsj.com www.wsj.com/health/the-p...

Essay | The Power of Prayer After a Mass Shooting When innocents are murdered, calls for prayer may seem useless, but it’s one of our best tools for overcoming grief and fear.

While many understandably criticize calls for prayer after mass shootings in the absence of changes to gun laws to prevent harm, they miss the point that prayer has value for all affected by such tragedies - one that science backs up. My latest for
@wsj.com www.wsj.com/health/the-p...

We explored this tension with Miroslav Volf with respect to both Christian nationalism and the war in Gaza, and looked at the science behind how religion works in our minds. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

By co-opted, Volf means merged with political ideologies. A thin practice is hollow, acting as a label, whereas a thick practice requires grappling with the deeper challenges a faith offers and using its tools. As research shows, practices of prayer & meditation increase compassion, not vengeance.

Excellent piece from @michaelluo.bsky.social👇🏻. Like most sacred texts, the Bible contains many voices, some vengeful & some merciful. But the heart of the tradition & its daily practices nudge the mind toward mercy. It’s a thin practice of Christianity, as Volf notes, that allows it to be co-opted🧵

It's fall, and that means How God Works is back with a new season! We'll explore the wisdom the world's faith traditions offer to improve our friendships, our decision-making, and lots more about our lives. Plus, why shamans are everywhere & how Tibetan monks control their dreams.

Happy to say that How God Works is a @signalawards finalist for best podcast in the Religion & Spirituality category. That means we're also competing for a Listener's Choice award. So if you're a fan, please head on over and give us a vote! vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting...

Opinion | How Can You Cheer Love and Hate at the Same Time?

A good explanation for the jarring juxtaposition of vengeance and mercy from @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social. Also, research shows that when people feel their way of life is threatened, they come to see God as more punitive, making it easier for hate to rise.

Opinion | Rosh Hashana Can Change Your Life (Even if You’re Not Jewish) (Published 2023)

On #RoshHashanah, Jews celebrate the new year. But in preparing to make it a better one, they pause to remind themselves it might be their last. That’s good advice for anyone to follow. www.nytimes.com/2023/09/13/o... @nytopinion.nytimes.com

There is some truth to this @shadihamid.bsky.social. But I think you might be ignoring the fact that X has an ideological bias in “algorithm.” It’s not just that it has racist trolls; it’s that those voices are elevated. So the left shouts into the wind. If it were a level playing field, I’d agree.