Bridges
Summary
Bridges is ultimately about what it takes to move beyond fear into relationship. From cultural education guides to shared meals, from Lutheran congregations hosting Buddhist monks to volunteers participating in Hmong rituals, the episode highlights the messy, human work of building trust across deep differences. The story of Diane Anderson and First Lutheran Church in St. Paul embodies this shift—from uncertainty to friendship—showing how proximity, humility, and sustained contact can transform strangers into neighbors. In a moment when refugees were often treated as outsiders or threats, these communities modeled a different vision: one where pluralism is practiced, not just preached, and where hospitality becomes a force powerful enough to reshape both individuals and the nation.
Through the story of the Hiawatha Valley Farm Cooperative in Winona, Minnesota, we hear how fear, misinformation, and racialized anxiety shaped local resistance to Southeast Asian refugees—especially Hmong families who had been U.S. allies during wartime. Yet even amid protests and hostility, churches and faith communities stepped into the breach, not just as service providers but as moral actors, framing resettlement as a theological commitment to “love thy neighbor” in the face of public backlash.
Straight White American Jesus
The flagship show examining Christian nationalism and democracy.
Listen Now
