{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Nuance: Being Faithful in the Public Square","title":"The Kind of Courage the Church Needs Right Now with Dr. Karen Johnson","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2602,"description":"In this follow-up episode of Nuance, Case continues his conversation with historian Dr. Karen Johnson, author of Ordinary Heroes of Racial Justice. Building on the previous discussion of everyday Christians who worked for justice, this episode explores how discipleship shapes moral courage, how churches can renew civic life, and why racial justice belongs within the Christian calling to love our neighbors well.Dr. Johnson reflects on how historical formation shapes Christian faithfulness over time, explaining how ordinary believers have learned to act without certainty of outcomes, trusting God rather than control. Through stories of figures such as John Perkins, Clarence Jordan, and the ongoing witness of Koinonia Farm, the conversation highlights how public faithfulness has often grown out of community, hospitality, and costly obedience rather than comfort or recognition.The episode also examines the church’s role in moments of social tension, including conversations around immigration, racial identity, and national belonging. Dr. Johnson draws on Christian history to show how these debates are not new, and how the church has struggled to hold together evangelism, discipleship, and social responsibility without fragmenting the gospel. Throughout the discussion, she emphasizes the importance of faithfulness over outcomes, patience over certainty, and humility in the face of complex moral decisions.This conversation invites listeners to consider how Christian public witness is formed through long obedience, communal life, and trust in God’s work across generations. It offers a hopeful and historically-grounded vision of how churches and ordinary believers can participate faithfully in the public square today.Episode Resources:Ordinary Heroes of Racial Justice: A History of Christians in Action: https://www.ivpress.com/ordinary-heroes-of-racial-justiceKaren Johnson's website: https://www.karenjohnsonhistory.com/Learn more about John M. Perkins:...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/XpK8J1UaK-lAhdin2b3t4A_PNLlgHqZ7_lESbs8_y-0/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzMzNjUyLzE2NjE3/ODcyNTktYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}