This podcast interview between John Pinna and Maurice Bloem of the Joint Learning Initiative (JLI) on Faith and Local Communities explores the JLI's unique approach to leveraging data and evidence for just and sustainable development. Bloem emphasizes the importance of going beyond traditional top-down models and incorporating local wisdom and diverse perspectives, including what he calls the "Ducky" framework for growth and collaboration. The conversation highlights the critical role of faith-based organizations in development due to their long-term community relationships and understanding of faith as a core aspect of identity, while also addressing the challenge of navigating bias and promoting genuine listening and dialogue in an increasingly polarized world.
Maurice A. Bloem is the President and CEO of the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities (JLI), where he leads the organization through a time of strategic transformation. With more than three decades of experience in humanitarian assistance and development, he brings a deep global perspective rooted in local realities to his leadership.
Before joining JLI in August 2023, Maurice served in multiple senior roles at Church World Service (CWS), including Executive Vice President and Chief Sustainability and Impact Officer. He founded the CWS Innovation Hub and led the CWS Faith and Partnership Hub. As CWS’s representative to the United Nations, he championed faith engagement in global policy processes, advancing action on the Sustainable Development Goals, climate justice, and equitable partnerships. Earlier, he directed CWS’s work in Indonesia and Timor-Leste, coordinating disaster response efforts after the 2004 tsunami and 2005 earthquakes.
Originally from the Netherlands, Maurice holds a master’s degree in cultural anthropology from Leiden University. He currently serves on the board of Growing Hope Globally and is a member of the Advisory Council for the Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Engagement at Seattle University.
Maurice is also the founder and host of the Walk Talk Listen podcast, a platform for deep conversations about connection, sustainable development, and meaningful change. Since 2012, he has walked 100 miles annually to raise awareness and funds to end hunger, poverty, and injustice—a tradition that continues today. Outside of work, he enjoys long walks in nature, playing the drums and ukulele, reading, watching soccer, and spending time with his children, who live across the world.
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40:33
162: John Kiriakou
This conversation between John Pinna and former CIA officer John Kiriakou delves into the significance of the private meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky at the Vatican. Kiriakou, drawing on his intelligence and foreign policy background, analyzes the meeting in the context of past interactions between the two leaders, particularly a previous public dressing-down of Zelensky by Trump. Both Pinna and Kiriakou highlight the perceived value and return to direct diplomatic engagement, a departure from recent trends. The interview discusses the unpredictability of Trump's approach, the changing political landscape within the Republican party regarding foreign intervention, and the potential implications of direct talks with adversarial nations, using examples like Iran and North Korea. They also touch on the historical use of unconventional "back channels" in U.S. foreign policy and the challenges of navigating bureaucracy and ingrained perspectives within intelligence and foreign policy institutions. The conversation ultimately underscores the importance of direct communication, even with adversaries, to enhance strategic interests and overcome limitations posed by reliance on traditional, potentially outdated, information sources and approaches.
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41:02
160: Ani Zonneveld - Muslims for Progressive Values
In this episode, John Pinna has a conversation with Ani Zonneveld, founder and president of Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV). Zonneveld discusses the organization's founding in response to the narrow representation of American Muslims post-9/11 and the dominance of conservative Muslim organizations. She highlights MPV's commitment to "10 principles" rooted in the social justice values of the Quran, emphasizing human dignity for all, including LGBTQ+ individuals, and the importance of egalitarian spiritual leadership, including female imams. The discussion also touches on the shifting political landscape, the increasing alliance between the Christian and Muslim right based on "family values" as code for anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, and the potential threats to public education through legal challenges rooted in religious liberty claims. Zonneveld contrasts progressive faith organizations, which advocate for the separation of religion and state and inclusive values, with conservative religious groups that utilize religion to justify discrimination. She shares personal anecdotes, including a powerful encounter with an orthodox imam that led to a change in perspective on LGBTQ+ dignity. Zonneveld also critiques the hypocrisy within interfaith circles and the lack of action on human rights issues by some religious organizations. She ultimately emphasizes the importance of operationalizing core Islamic values of social justice and universal human dignity and making these teachings accessible to the public to foster change from within the Muslim community.
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44:41
159: 159: Jeff Mitchell - Was Jesus Real?
This episode features a conversation between John Pinna and Jeff Mitchell, an atheist and author of the book "Jesus Demigod (https://a.co/d/ddpkbqa)", which argues that Jesus did not exist. Mitchell shares his faith journey, having grown up as a Christian in the Bible Belt and later becoming an atheist after critically examining the Bible and Christian theology. The conversation explores topics such as the historicity of Jesus, the reliability of the New Testament, and the concept of truth. Mitchell argues that the evidence for Jesus is abysmal and that the stories about him are literary creations, while John Pinna shares his perspective as a person of faith, highlighting the importance of respectful dialogue and critical thinking. The discussion touches on the challenges of confronting uncomfortable truths, the value of life, and the need for civil conversations in the face of disagreement. Special Guest: Jeff Mitchell.
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1:16:47
158: Francesca Albanese - Palestinian Human Rights
This episode features a conversation with Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, who details the legal and political realities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She argues that Israel’s 57-year occupation is unlawful and functions as a vehicle for annexation and repression, characterizing it as apartheid. Albanese asserts that Israel has committed acts of genocide in Gaza, as part of a long-term plan to create a Greater Israel devoid of Palestinians, and that this is increasingly extending to the repression of Jewish citizens who oppose the occupation. She critiques the international community's insufficient response, highlighting the need for accountability through sanctions and divestment, and stresses the importance of recognizing Palestinian rights – including the right to self-determination, an end to apartheid, and reparations – before pursuing political solutions like a two-state solution. Ultimately, she emphasizes the urgent need to halt the ongoing destruction and potential erasure of the Palestinian people and to shift focus towards protecting their fundamental human rights.
https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-palestine/francesca-albanese
Ms. Francesca Albanese is an international lawyer, specialised in human rights and the Middle East. Since May 2022, she has served as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967 (oPt).
Crossing Faiths is a podcast where people from diverse religious backgrounds openly discuss everything you're NOT supposed to discuss at the dinner table. Join hosts Jt Pinna, a career national security, international affairs, and D.C. insider, and Elliot Toman, a former media director in the Evangelical church, as they engage in lively conversations about the impact of faith on current events. Crossing Faiths also welcomes guests from various religious and experiential backgrounds to share their insights.
The podcast was initially developed in collaboration with Matt Hawkins, a former policy director for the Southern Baptist Convention. Their conversations are built on a decade of collaboration, advocating in Washington, D.C., for religious freedom domestically and globally. The two developed the podcast to share conversations that model friendship and cooperation despite profound differences in religion and background. The podcast has reached almost 3 million multi-faith listeners, 83% millennials.
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Canada - english