Interviews with brilliant people to fan the flames of your curiosity.

Episodes
Family Proclamations: “Painfully Funny," with Paul Scheer
Family Proclamations: “Painfully Funny," with Paul Scheer

Paul Scheer is an award-winning actor, screenwriter, comedian and podcast host of How Did This Get Made? So you'd think his most interesting life stories would be about his audition for Saturday Night Live or how he came up through improv comedy to star in shows like The League and Black Monday.

Those are interesting stories, but in his new memoir, Paul gives center stage to family stories. Growing up with a loving mom and dad who divorced, the tyranny of an abusive stepfather, and what it's like to become a marriage partner and a parent in the shadow of traumatic experiences. 

Family Proclamations: “Beyond Barbie Feminism," with Rafia Zakaria
Family Proclamations: “Beyond Barbie Feminism," with Rafia Zakaria

Mainstream feminism today was created mostly by white women, for white women. It has soaked into American pop culture, social media, the economy, politics, and more. Rafia Zakaria wants that to change. In this episode, we discuss her book Against White Feminism: Notes on Disruption.

Family Proclamations: “Trans in the Latter Days," with Laurie Lee Hall
Family Proclamations: “Trans in the Latter Days," with Laurie Lee Hall

Laurie Lee Hall was a promising college student studying architecture, and she was “known” to the world as a man. When she encountered The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints she saw a well-defined path that fit the gender she was assigned at birth. So she buried her past to become the perfect Mormon man.

S’mores (Bonus Episode)—Tara Boyce on Hope
S’mores (Bonus Episode)—Tara Boyce on Hope

Tara Boyce says parenting with hope is more complicated than she anticipated.

Joy, with Ross Gay
Joy, with Ross Gay

Ross Gay says joy is something like what we feel like when we help each other carry our sorrows.

Invisible, with Meghan O’Rourke
Invisible, with Meghan O’Rourke

As a silent epidemic of chronic illnesses afflicts tens of millions of Americans, Meghan O’Rourke calls for revolution.

Transitions, with Susan Stryker
Transitions, with Susan Stryker

A transgender scholar makes history writing about transgender history.

Mission, with Kathryn Gin Lum
Mission, with Kathryn Gin Lum

The word “heathen” has fallen out of use, but the racist ideas behind it persist in the White American imagination.

Shell Play, with Toni Jensen
Shell Play, with Toni Jensen

A Métis woman reflects on the violence enacted on the bodies and lands of Indigenous people, especially women, in the United States.

Hope, with Tom Whyman
Hope, with Tom Whyman

A philosopher and prospective father wonders if things in the world are hopeful enough to bring children into it.

The Fire, with Danté Stewart
The Fire, with Danté Stewart

A Black Christian writer discovers the sacredness of rage.

Heritage, with Masha Rumer
Heritage, with Masha Rumer

An immigrant falls back in love with her culture and yearns to pass it along to her children.

Monsters, with David Livingstone Smith
Monsters, with David Livingstone Smith

When fighting monsters, we risk becoming monstrous.

Voices, with Jeff Chu
Voices, with Jeff Chu

After Rachel Held Evans died, Jeff Chu was there to finish her final book.

Margins, with Fatimah Salleh and Margaret Olsen Hemming
Margins, with Fatimah Salleh and Margaret Olsen Hemming

Reading scripture from the margins can change everything.

The Books, with Vanessa Zoltan
The Books, with Vanessa Zoltan

Vanessa Zoltan wanted to know if her childhood favorite ‘Jane Eyre’ stands the test of time. What she found can breathe new life into our favorite books.

Civility, with Alex Zamalin
Civility, with Alex Zamalin

Alex Zamalin shows how civility has been used to perpetuate oppression in the United States.

Hidden, with Ayala Fader
Hidden, with Ayala Fader

Ayala Fader examines the lives of hidden heretics within ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities.

S’mores (Bonus Episode)—Let’s Talk, with Anna Sale
S’mores (Bonus Episode)—Let’s Talk, with Anna Sale

Anna Sale knows how to talk about hard things like death, sex, money, family, and identity.

Options, with Taylor Petrey
Options, with Taylor Petrey

Taylor Petrey traces the development of doctrine about gender and sexuality within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Home, with Lauren Sandler
Home, with Lauren Sandler

Lauren Sandler shines a light on homelessness in America through the experience of a young pregnant mother in New York City.

Slow Down, with John Swinton
Slow Down, with John Swinton

John Swinton invites us to slow down and rethink what we think about time, especially in light of people with intellectual disabilities.

Reckoning, with Anthea Butler
Reckoning, with Anthea Butler

Anthea Butler says conservative Christianity in America has scored big victories in American politics, but not without significant cost.

No Compartments, with David Dark
No Compartments, with David Dark

David Dark explains why he thinks ‘Life’s Too Short to Pretend You’re Not Religious.’

Lost and Found, with Elaine Pagels
Lost and Found, with Elaine Pagels

Her research shook up Christian history even while, behind the scenes, her life was being turned upside-down.

Revision, with Kiese Laymon
Revision, with Kiese Laymon

When Kiese Laymon was growing up he didn’t see anyone who looked like him in the literary canon. So he decided to change the game.

New Words, with Mary Rakow
New Words, with Mary Rakow

Her work was stagnating, her marriage was faltering, and she was angry at God. And that’s when she wrote one of the most religiously rich books I’ve ever read.

End Times, with Adam Miller
End Times, with Adam Miller

What does it look like to be a Christian disciple who is living, not just theoretically through the end of the world, but very literally through the loss of this world?

Belonging, with Nora Krug
Belonging, with Nora Krug

What do you do when the roots of your family tree connect you to Nazi Germany?

Introducing Fireside with Blair Hodges
Introducing Fireside with Blair Hodges

If you're seeking after things that are virtuous, lovely, of good report, praiseworthy—and most important, fascinating and challenging—Fireside is for you.

Hodges-Blair-staff.jpg

Hosted by Blair Hodges

Generously co-sponsored by the Howard W. Hunter Foundation, the Mormon Studies program at Claremont Graduate University, and the Dialogue Foundation.

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What People Are Saying

Blair is back!

“Fireside has turned podcasting into an art form that elevates and touches the soul. The interviews leave the listener with much to reflect upon days and weeks later. Highly recommend this podcast to all who enjoy thinking deeply about life’s multi-faceted relationships, and want a respite from the pell-mell functions of daily life.” — CC Music Bunny, Apple Podcasts

Exceptional

“Phenomenal. These thought-provoking interviews leave me mulling for days. I probably have an entire bookshelf full of books both read and to-be-read thanks to my introduction to them via Blair’s work. Looking forward to each new episode!” — JudgeRee, Apple Podcasts

Inspirational

“Blair is a master interviewer who has a gift for asking questions and starting conversations that are desperately needed if we’re to learn how to better understand, live with, and love each other. These challenging and enriching interactions have left me a better person spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally.” — DadBodice, Apple Podcasts

Attentive Listening, Deep Dialogue

“Blair offers his audience a cozy seat at his side as he engages his reflective guests in refreshingly generous and deep dialogue. Step away from the false flurry of our Twitter-paced public discourse and take a seat next to Blair.” — jamesremains, Apple Podcasts

Excellent host and cutting edge topics

“Great podcasts have one thing in common: a great host. Blair Hodges is a gifted interviewer and conversationalist. He asks the right questions and allows the guests space to expound on their writings. You’ll enjoy his dry wit humor as much as his theological exploration.” — TBlack99, Apple Podcasts

Expansive and Thoughtful

“Not only do I love Blair Hodges’ gracious interviewing style, but I thrill at the interplay between guest and host. Blair is a prepared host, who has a sincere fascination and appreciation for the wayfarer’s journey.” — Tishbw, Apple Podcasts

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Joy and care. 🔥🙌
It was a true joy talking with Ross Gay about joy! We might be talking about elbow patches, or disappointed fathers, or late-night hangouts, or poetry, or basketball, or gardening, or writing workshops, or or or. A fitting finale for season 2.
Learn to let time take time. 🔥🙌
There was so much we couldn't cover in Ross Gay's book. His definition of grief, for example. The metabolization of change. (And check out the beginning of yet another beautifully digressive footnote!)
💔🔥 Audio and full transcript available.
We talk about parents growing old, gardening, basketball, poetry, writing workshops, ADHD, hanging out, piano lessons, education, and more. Ross Gay is blessedly digressive. Check out the season finale of Fireside with Blair Hodges. 🔥🙌
What does joy look like to you? Don’t miss the season finale. Ross Gay reimagines joy. 🔥🙌
🔥🙌
"It is wild and beautiful. And it is actually the fundamental point of the game, I say. The point of the game is actually making the game go, you know?" Ross Gay joins us today on Fireside with Blair Hodges.

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